Smoke on the Water
2021-05-01 – 2021-05-02 · Liberty, IN · 📍 3801 W Old Dunlapsville Rd · State championship
Reps: BECKY DRUETZLER, DAVE DRUETZLER · Prize money: $5,000.00
Grand Champion: The BBQ Bus (706.2400) · 27 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 GETTIN PIGGY WITH IT BACKYARD BBQ
Entries
Top score
Winning margin
Field average
Tightest race
Top-10 cutoff
Field spread
Prize money
Double threats
How hot was the win?
Traveled in
Came back for more
Form held
Field strength
Storylines
👑 A dynasty in the making
Thunder Hog BBQ has won this contest 2 times across its 13 tracked editions.
💪 A statement win
The champion won by 16.0000 points — a wider margin than 98% of championships in the data.
🧳 Out-of-towners took the title
THE BBQ BUS took the Grand Championship home to IL.
🧹 A double category winner
THE BBQ BUS won Pork Ribs, Pork — a double, and took the Grand Championship on top of it.
📸 Photo finishes
Chicken places 3–4: The Yellow Rose Texas BBQ Company and SMOKIN HOOSIERS tied on 173.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 8–9: JMB BBQ and Wilbur's Last Ride BBQ tied on 171.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 3–4: SMOKE-N-PEPPERS and FARMER'S RETREAT SMOKIN BARBEQUE tied on 171.9772 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
🛡️ Back to defend
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: Thunder Hog BBQ (won 2019).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-10-11 | Topeka, KS | 43 | 687.4516 | CHICKHOOVENSWINE BBQ | BLACK EYE BBQ | |
| 2015-10-09 | Topeka, KS 66605 | 33 | 696.5600 | JO-BAWB'S BBQ | BOXER Q BBQ | |
| 2017-05-06 | 3801 West Old Dunlapsville RD | 26 | 695.9084 | VICTORY SMOKERS | GREY STREET BBQ | |
| 2018-05-05 | 3801 West Old Dunlapsville RD | 28 | 693.6684 | GREY STREET BBQ | BANKIN BABY BBQ | |
| 2019-05-04 | Liberty, IN | 381 W Old Dunlapsville | 26 | 696.5140 | Thunder Hog BBQ | SLIPPERY PETE'S BBQ |
| 2021-05-01 ← this one | Liberty, IN | 3801 W Old Dunlapsville Rd | 27 | 706.2400 | The BBQ Bus | GETTIN PIGGY WITH IT BACKYARD BBQ |
| 2021-10-15 | Topeka, KS | 3435 SE East Edge Rd | 25 | 699.3600 | Mad Mutt's BBQ | SMOKE RINGERS |
| 2022-04-29 | Liberty, IN | 3801 W Old Dunlapsville Rd | 25 | 707.9888 | Thunder Hog BBQ | SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS |
| 2022-10-14 | Topeka, KS | 3435 SE East Edge Rd | 28 | 701.6688 | Cow Creek BBQ | MAN MEAT BBQ |
| 2023-10-13 | Topeka, KS | 3435 SE East Edge Rd | 39 | 707.4176 | Slaps BBQ | WOOD HOOK BBQ |
| 2024-09-20 | Pine Bluff, AR | 1 Regional Park Dr | 42 | 698.2628 | Kith n Kin | SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ |
| 2024-10-11 | Topeka, KS | 3435 SE East Edge Rd | 31 | 700.5372 | Colorado Bulldawg BBQ | Bocephus BBQ |
| 2025-10-10 | Topeka, KS | 3435 SE East Edge Rd | 30 | 703.3828 | Squealin N Dealin BBQ | Damn Fine Beef & Swine |
| 2026-10-09 | Topeka, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 177.1428 | 173.1200 | 169.6800 |
| Pork Ribs | 176.5600 | 171.4288 | 169.1544 |
| Pork | 180.0000 | 172.0000 | 169.7028 |
| Brisket | 178.8800 | 173.1200 | 171.9656 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
27 entries · top 706.2400 · median 669.5884
Chicken
27 entries · top 177.1428 · median 167.4400
Pork Ribs
26 entries · top 176.5600 · median 165.9714
Pork
27 entries · top 180.0000 · median 168.6172 · 🔥 perfect 180
Brisket
26 entries · top 178.8800 · median 169.3942
Ancillary categories
Run by the organizers alongside the sanctioned contest. These are judged on their own terms and do not count toward the overall score, so they're kept out of the meat stats above.
Ancillary — Anything Butt
4 entries · top 180.0000 · median 174.5600 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Yellow Rose Texas BBQ Company | |
| 2 | Extra Mile BBQ | |
| 3 | WEQ4U | |
| 4 | Smoky Bear BBQ |
Kids-Q — Celebrate Real Pork Series - Kids 10 Under
2 entries · top 180.0000 · median 175.1428 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dino Que | |
| 2 | Shake Your Booty Que |
Kids-Q — Celebrate Real Pork Series - Kids 11-15
1 entries · top 173.1428 · median 173.1428
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyatt's Wild West BBQ |
Ancillary — Celebrate Real Pork Series - Pork Chop
11 entries · top 178.2972 · median 167.3828
Ancillary — Obr Mystery Meat
9 entries · top 176.5944 · median 162.2400