Smoke in the Park (BACKYARD & KIDS QUE)
2021-08-06 – 2021-08-07 · Glencoe, AL · 📍 313 Nancy Carrol Av
Reps: CAROL BIGLER, RANDY G BIGLER · Prize money: $3,500.00
Grand Champion: NOROLA BBQ Team (514.2284) · 31 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 REDBONES BBQ
Entries
31
6 judged meats · 2 ancillary
Top score
514.2284
Winning margin
0.5940
GC over RC
Field average
497.78
median 499.35
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Chicken
1.1544 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
502.7772
10th place overall
Field spread
41.8056
winner to last place
Prize money
$3,500.00
on the line
Double threats
3
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 13%
beats 87% of 708 Backyard Series wins in the data
Traveled in
10%
of the 31 teams with a home region came from outside AL
Came back for more
62%
13 of 21 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Weak
ρ = -0.23 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1553
avg power rating going in · stronger than 59% of contests
Storylines
👑 A dynasty in the making
Dogpatch Q has won this contest 2 times across its 10 tracked editions.
🪒 A razor-thin finish
The Grand Championship was decided by 0.5940 points — closer than 85% of every championship in the data.
📸 Photo finishes
Backyard Series — Chicken places 2–3: REDBONES BBQ and PUCKDADDY'S KILLER Q tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Backyard Series — Chicken places 4–5: SOUTH RYLAND and Pig Destroyer tied on 175.4056 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Backyard Series — Pork Ribs places 2–3: VETERAN PORK PULLERS and Secondhand Smoke tied on 173.1200 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
🛡️ Back to defend
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: Slinging Pig Meat (won 2019), Leela Q (won 2020).
🃏 An upset on the books
NORALA BBQ TEAM came in rated below the field's top team, LEE LA Q, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 24-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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-08-10 | 407 Hollingsworth Park dr | — | — | — | — | |
| 2019-08-09 | Glencoe, AL | 313 Nancy Carrol Av | 26 | 518.8116 | Slinging Pig Meat | — |
| 2020-08-07 | Glencoe, AL | 313 Nancy Carrol Av | 21 | 521.1088 | Leela Q | — |
| 2021-08-06 ← this one | Glencoe, AL | 313 Nancy Carrol Av | 31 | 514.2284 | NOROLA BBQ Team | — |
| 2022-08-12 | Glencoe, AL | 313 Nancy Carrol Ave | 35 | 530.8228 | Hickory Hangover | — |
| 2023-08-11 | Glencoe, AL | 313 Nancy Carrol Ave | 35 | 523.9772 | Small Batch BBQ | — |
| 2024-09-20 | Glencoe, AL | 313 Nancy Carrol Ave | 18 | 354.2744 | Curly Bird BBQ | — |
| 2025-09-19 | Glencoe, AL | 313 Nancy Carrol Ave | 30 | 351.9656 | Puddleduck BBQ | — |
| 2025-09-20 | Glencoe, AL | 313 Nancy Carrol Ave | 22 | 348.0116 | Dogpatch Q | — |
| 2026-06-05 | Glencoe, AL | 313 Nancy Carol Dr | 26 | 353.7144 | Dogpatch Q | — |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 176.5600 | 175.4056 | 172.5600 |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 174.2628 | 171.9772 | 170.8228 |
| Backyard Series — Pork | 176.5600 | 169.6916 | 167.3828 |
| Ancillary — Chicken | 179.4400 | 173.7372 | 169.1200 |
| Ancillary — Pork Ribs | 178.8800 | 170.8344 | 165.6800 |
| Ancillary — Pork | 176.5600 | 165.0856 | 161.1200 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Backyard Series
Overall
31 entries · top 514.2284 · median 499.3484
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | NORALA BBQ TEAM | |
| 2 | REDBONES BBQ | |
| 3 | Dixie Pigs & Chick's BBQ Team | |
| 4 | VETERAN PORK PULLERS | |
| 5 | HICKORY HANGOVER | |
| 6 | Smoke-a-holics Com[etition BBQ | |
| 7 | Pig Destroyer | |
| 8 | Bubba Q | |
| 9 | JT'S SMOKE SHACK | |
| 10 | LEM'S MEAT VARNISH | |
| 11 | Hog Addictition | |
| 12 | Dog Patch Q | |
| 13 | SOUTH RYLAND | |
| 14 | BLOWIN' SMOKE - TONEY, AL | |
| 15 | 2 Swine Crew | |
| 16 | HELL ON SQUEALS | |
| 17 | Slinging Pigmeat | |
| 18 | Secondhand Smoke | |
| 19 | Party All Knight | |
| 20 | LEE LA Q | |
| 21 | PUCKDADDY'S KILLER Q | |
| 22 | The Real Squeal BBQ | |
| 23 | JAMMIN BBQ | |
| 24 | RIBLIFE | |
| 25 | Outhouse Smokers | |
| 26 | BAMA BOYS BBQ | |
| 27 | Thin Blue Swine | |
| 28 | Swine and Brine BBQ | |
| 29 | The Meat Whisperers | |
| 30 | Smokin Fire | |
| 31 | Simply Smoked |
Chicken
31 entries · top 176.5600 · median 168.5600
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dixie Pigs & Chick's BBQ Team | |
| 2 | REDBONES BBQ | |
| 3 | PUCKDADDY'S KILLER Q | |
| 4 | SOUTH RYLAND | |
| 5 | Pig Destroyer | |
| 6 | Smoke-a-holics Com[etition BBQ | |
| 7 | VETERAN PORK PULLERS | |
| 8 | BLOWIN' SMOKE - TONEY, AL | |
| 9 | NORALA BBQ TEAM | |
| 10 | HELL ON SQUEALS | |
| 11 | Dog Patch Q | |
| 12 | LEM'S MEAT VARNISH | |
| 13 | Outhouse Smokers | |
| 14 | JT'S SMOKE SHACK | |
| 15 | HICKORY HANGOVER | |
| 16 | Bubba Q | |
| 17 | JAMMIN BBQ | |
| 18 | Smokin Fire | |
| 19 | Hog Addictition | |
| 20 | 2 Swine Crew | |
| 21 | RIBLIFE | |
| 22 | Party All Knight | |
| 23 | Secondhand Smoke | |
| 24 | Slinging Pigmeat | |
| 25 | LEE LA Q | |
| 26 | Thin Blue Swine | |
| 27 | BAMA BOYS BBQ | |
| 28 | Simply Smoked | |
| 29 | Swine and Brine BBQ | |
| 30 | The Meat Whisperers | |
| 31 | The Real Squeal BBQ |
Pork Ribs
31 entries · top 174.2628 · median 167.9772
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Slinging Pigmeat | |
| 2 | VETERAN PORK PULLERS | |
| 3 | Secondhand Smoke | |
| 4 | Dog Patch Q | |
| 5 | NORALA BBQ TEAM | |
| 6 | LEM'S MEAT VARNISH | |
| 7 | The Meat Whisperers | |
| 8 | LEE LA Q | |
| 9 | Smoke-a-holics Com[etition BBQ | |
| 10 | JT'S SMOKE SHACK | |
| 11 | Hog Addictition | |
| 12 | The Real Squeal BBQ | |
| 13 | Bubba Q | |
| 14 | REDBONES BBQ | |
| 15 | PUCKDADDY'S KILLER Q | |
| 16 | 2 Swine Crew | |
| 17 | BLOWIN' SMOKE - TONEY, AL | |
| 18 | Dixie Pigs & Chick's BBQ Team | |
| 19 | Swine and Brine BBQ | |
| 20 | HELL ON SQUEALS | |
| 21 | HICKORY HANGOVER | |
| 22 | Thin Blue Swine | |
| 23 | Party All Knight | |
| 24 | Simply Smoked | |
| 25 | BAMA BOYS BBQ | |
| 26 | SOUTH RYLAND | |
| 27 | Pig Destroyer | |
| 28 | Smokin Fire | |
| 29 | JAMMIN BBQ | |
| 30 | Outhouse Smokers | |
| 31 | RIBLIFE |
Pork
31 entries · top 176.5600 · median 163.9772
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HICKORY HANGOVER | |
| 2 | The Real Squeal BBQ | |
| 3 | Pig Destroyer | |
| 4 | RIBLIFE | |
| 5 | Party All Knight | |
| 6 | Dixie Pigs & Chick's BBQ Team | |
| 7 | NORALA BBQ TEAM | |
| 8 | REDBONES BBQ | |
| 9 | BAMA BOYS BBQ | |
| 10 | Bubba Q | |
| 11 | SOUTH RYLAND | |
| 12 | VETERAN PORK PULLERS | |
| 13 | 2 Swine Crew | |
| 14 | LEE LA Q | |
| 15 | Hog Addictition | |
| 16 | JT'S SMOKE SHACK | |
| 17 | Slinging Pigmeat | |
| 18 | JAMMIN BBQ | |
| 19 | Smoke-a-holics Com[etition BBQ | |
| 20 | Secondhand Smoke | |
| 21 | Thin Blue Swine | |
| 22 | Swine and Brine BBQ | |
| 23 | The Meat Whisperers | |
| 24 | LEM'S MEAT VARNISH | |
| 25 | HELL ON SQUEALS | |
| 26 | BLOWIN' SMOKE - TONEY, AL | |
| 27 | Outhouse Smokers | |
| 28 | Dog Patch Q | |
| 29 | Smokin Fire | |
| 30 | Simply Smoked | |
| 31 | PUCKDADDY'S KILLER Q |
Ancillary
Chicken
30 entries · top 179.4400 · median 163.9542
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | REDBONES BBQ | |
| 2 | Pig Destroyer | |
| 3 | 2 Swine Crew | |
| 4 | BLOWIN' SMOKE - TONEY, AL | |
| 5 | Hog Addictition | |
| 6 | Slinging Pigmeat | |
| 7 | HICKORY HANGOVER | |
| 8 | RIBLIFE | |
| 9 | Dog Patch Q | |
| 10 | VETERAN PORK PULLERS | |
| 11 | LEE LA Q | |
| 12 | Simply Smoked | |
| 13 | Secondhand Smoke | |
| 14 | The Real Squeal BBQ | |
| 15 | JT'S SMOKE SHACK | |
| 16 | PUCKDADDY'S KILLER Q | |
| 17 | Sweet Cheeks Pit BBQ | |
| 18 | Dixie Pigs & Chick's BBQ Team | |
| 19 | Twisted Oak BBQ | |
| 20 | Thin Blue Swine | |
| 21 | Outhouse Smokers | |
| 22 | Creekside | |
| 23 | HELL ON SQUEALS | |
| 24 | Sweet Willy Q | |
| 25 | MAGGIE'S FARM | |
| 26 | JAMMIN BBQ | |
| 27 | Smokin Fire | |
| 28 | Big Hoss | |
| 29 | LEM'S MEAT VARNISH | |
| 30 | The Meat Whisperers |
Pork Ribs
30 entries · top 178.8800 · median 163.9656
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MAGGIE'S FARM | |
| 2 | HICKORY HANGOVER | |
| 3 | Slinging Pigmeat | |
| 4 | Thin Blue Swine | |
| 5 | Secondhand Smoke | |
| 6 | Sweet Cheeks Pit BBQ | |
| 7 | PUCKDADDY'S KILLER Q | |
| 8 | LEM'S MEAT VARNISH | |
| 9 | The Meat Whisperers | |
| 10 | Smokin Fire | |
| 11 | REDBONES BBQ | |
| 12 | JAMMIN BBQ | |
| 13 | LEE LA Q | |
| 14 | Dixie Pigs & Chick's BBQ Team | |
| 15 | Simply Smoked | |
| 16 | Outhouse Smokers | |
| 17 | JT'S SMOKE SHACK | |
| 18 | Big Hoss | |
| 19 | Pig Destroyer | |
| 20 | BLOWIN' SMOKE - TONEY, AL | |
| 21 | Sweet Willy Q | |
| 22 | HELL ON SQUEALS | |
| 23 | Dog Patch Q | |
| 24 | Hog Addictition | |
| 25 | Creekside | |
| 26 | RIBLIFE | |
| 27 | 2 Swine Crew | |
| 28 | The Real Squeal BBQ | |
| 29 | VETERAN PORK PULLERS | |
| 30 | Twisted Oak BBQ |
Pork
18 entries · top 176.5600 · median 161.6972
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Real Squeal BBQ | |
| 2 | HICKORY HANGOVER | |
| 3 | HELL ON SQUEALS | |
| 4 | RIBLIFE | |
| 5 | Thin Blue Swine | |
| 6 | LEE LA Q | |
| 7 | Hog Addictition | |
| 8 | MAGGIE'S FARM | |
| 9 | Smoke-a-holics Com[etition BBQ | |
| 10 | JAMMIN BBQ | |
| 11 | Twisted Oak BBQ | |
| 12 | Slinging Pigmeat | |
| 13 | Sweet Cheeks Pit BBQ | |
| 14 | Sweet Willy Q | |
| 15 | Big Hoss | |
| 16 | Bad Influence BBQ | |
| 17 | Simply Smoked | |
| 18 | Secondhand Smoke |
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.
Kids-Q — Kid'S Boneless Chop 11-13
1 entries · top 155.9772 · median 155.9772
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Justin Rogers |