Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown
2019-07-19 – 2019-07-20 · Peoria, IL · 📍 200 NE Water St · State championship
Reps: DAVE ROGERS, PEG ROGERS
Grand Champion: Heavy Smoke STL (704.5372) · 40 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 SMOKE FREAKS
Entries
Top score
Winning margin
Field average
Tightest race
Top-10 cutoff
Field spread
Double threats
How hot was the win?
Traveled in
Form held
Field strength
Storylines
💪 A statement win
The champion won by 17.7600 points — a wider margin than 99% of championships in the data.
🧳 Out-of-towners took the title
HEAVY SMOKE STL took the Grand Championship home to TN.
📸 Photo finishes
Master Series — Pork places 3–4: Heavy Smoke BBQ and RUSTY PIG BBQ tied on 176.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Brisket places 3–4: D.F.G.'S BBQ and CONTINENTAL BARBEQUE CO. tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 9–10: SMOKE FREAKS edged ST. LOUIS BLACK IRON BBQ by 0.0116.
🃏 An upset on the books
Heavy Smoke BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, BOOMERANG BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 35-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
Score curves (score by finishing position — steep cliffs mean a spread field, flat lines a knife fight)
Category showdown (top / average / median score per meat)
Score distribution
Biggest rating movers (power-rating points won and lost at this contest)
Did form hold? (pre-contest rating vs overall finish — ratings called it if the dots climb to the right)
Where the field came from (home regions on file)
This contest over the years full contest page →
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-07-21 | 200 NE Water St | 48 | 691.9312 | SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ | SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE | |
| 2018-07-20 | 200 NE Water St | 43 | 700.5144 | GETTIN' BASTED | LOCAL YOKELS BBQ | |
| 2019-07-19 ← this one | Peoria, IL | 200 NE Water St | 40 | 704.5372 | Heavy Smoke STL | SMOKE FREAKS |
| 2022-07-15 | Eureka, IL | 112 N Main St | 25 | 705.6916 | Que U | TRIPLE H BBQ |
| 2023-07-14 | Eureka, IL | 506 Reagan Dr | 25 | 690.7540 | Triple H BBQ | Heavy Smoke BBQ |
| 2025-06-27 | Eureka, IL | 1448 County Rd 800 N | 26 | 706.8344 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | TRIPLE H BBQ |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Series — Chicken | 180.0000 | 172.5944 | 169.6800 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 175.4172 | 171.4400 | 167.9656 |
| Master Series — Pork | 178.8572 | 176.0228 | 170.8344 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 178.8572 | 174.2628 | 171.4284 |
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 172.5828 | 159.4056 | 153.6572 |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 169.7028 | 161.7144 | 157.6572 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
40 entries · top 704.5372 · median 665.8970
Chicken
39 entries · top 180.0000 · median 167.3944 · 🔥 perfect 180
Pork Ribs
40 entries · top 175.4172 · median 163.9714
Pork
40 entries · top 178.8572 · median 165.3942
Brisket
40 entries · top 178.8572 · median 165.1030
Backyard Series
Overall
22 entries · top 339.4400 · median 307.3886
Chicken
20 entries · top 172.5828 · median 153.1028
Pork Ribs
22 entries · top 169.7028 · median 155.4116