A dynasty in the making
2×
wins at this contest
2 of 8 tracked editions
MUTTLEY CREW BBQ has won this contest 2 times across its 8 tracked editions.
- 2017
- 2018
Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down 2021
Oct 8–9, 2021 · Rocky Mount, NC · 📍 S Church St · State championship
Reps: Alan Rothrock, Doug Reid · Prize money: $18,100
FRED VEGAS SMOKERS won Grand Champion at the Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down on October 8, 2021 in Rocky Mount, NC at S Church St, scoring 702.2400 in a field of 26 teams. GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 699.3716. Category winners: Chicken — GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ (178.8572); Pork Ribs — FRED VEGAS SMOKERS (180.0000); Pork — FRED VEGAS SMOKERS (177.7028); Brisket — ELITE BBQ SMOKERS (180.0000). This is the 5th of 8 editions of this contest on record; the 2019 edition was won by Old Colony Smokehouse; the next was held in 2022.
The contest at a glance (read off the scored boards)
How the field scored
Overall totals, every team on the board — tall stacks are where the pack sat.
612.33
median 665.28
702.24 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 178.86
- Pork Ribs 180 🔥
- Pork 177.70
- Brisket 180 🔥
144.48
180
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2013 to 2024 — this edition picked out.
Entries
26
4 judged meats
Top score
702.2400
Winning margin
2.8684
GC over RC
Field average
662.27
612.33702.24
median 665.28 · last place to winner
Tightest race
Chicken
2.2972 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
677.6232
612.33702.24
10th place overall
Field spread
89.9084
winner to last place
Prize money
$18,100
on the line
Double threats
7
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 25%
beats 75% of 4723 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
34%
11 of 32 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.8 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,600
avg power rating going in · stronger than 78% of contests
Storylines (7 found in this contest's numbers)
Everything below is read straight out of the results — the number on each card is the one that made it a story.
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 7 calls decided inside half a point
Pork Ribs places 2–3: ELITE BBQ SMOKERS and Fat Heads BBQ tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 2–3: GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ and SMOKIN SKULLIES tied on 176.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 3–4: SMOKIN SKULLIES and TOO ASHAMED TO NAME tied on 176.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Pork Ribs 2–3 · tie
- Pork 2–3 · tie
- Pork 3–4 · tie
- Brisket 2–3 · tie
A double category winner
2
category wins in a day
FRED VEGAS SMOKERS won Pork Ribs, Pork — a double, and took the Grand Championship on top of it.
- Pork Ribs 1st
- Pork 1st
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
FRED VEGAS SMOKERS took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 2 outright wins — their weakest board was brisket at 10th.
- Chicken 2nd
- Pork Ribs 1st
- Pork 1st
- Brisket 10th
A contest record in pork ribs
180.0000
best pork ribs ever cooked here
FRED VEGAS SMOKERS turned in 180.0000 in pork ribs — past the 178.2972 that had stood across 4 earlier editions.
- old best 178.2972
- across 4 past editions
Back to defend
2
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: MUTTLEY CREW BBQ (won 2017, 2018), Old Colony Smokehouse (won 2019).
- MUTTLEY CREW BBQ · 2017, 2018
- Old Colony Smokehouse · 2019
A perfect score on the table
2
perfect 180s
2 perfect 180s were scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
- ELITE BBQ SMOKERS · Brisket
- FRED VEGAS SMOKERS · Pork Ribs
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)
This contest over the years full contest page →
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 11, 2013 | Rocky Mount, NC | Rocky Mount, NC | 55 | 682.2744 | FatBacks BBQ & Rib Shack | WARREN COUNTY PORK CHOPPERS |
| Oct 7, 2016 | Rocky Mount, NC | — | — | — | — | — |
| Oct 13, 2017 | Rocky Mount, NC | S Church St. | 50 | 701.0972 | MUTTLEY CREW BBQ | THE SMOKEHOUSE BANDITS!!! |
| Oct 12, 2018 | Rocky Mount, NC | S Church St. | 39 | 682.7428 | MUTTLEY CREW BBQ | REDNECK SCIENTIFIC |
| Oct 11, 2019 | Rocky Mount, NC | S Church st | 32 | 705.1316 | Old Colony Smokehouse | REDNECK SCIENTIFIC |
| Oct 8, 2021 ← this one | Rocky Mount, NC | S Church St | 26 | 702.2400 | Fred Vegas Smokers | GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ |
| Oct 7, 2022 | Rocky Mount, NC | S Church St | 27 | 705.1316 | Hold Your Horses BBQ | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS |
| Oct 13, 2023 | Rocky Mount, NC | S Church St | 27 | 702.2400 | Swine 'N' Roses BBQ | Smoke Central BBQ |
| Oct 11, 2024 | Rocky Mount, NC | 285 NE Main Street | 26 | 702.7884 | Smoke Central | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 178.8572 | 176.5600 | 170.8344 |
| Pork Ribs | 180 | 173.7144 | 169.6800 |
| Pork | 177.7028 | 174.2744 | 167.4056 |
| Brisket | 180 | 174.8800 | 166.8228 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
26 entries · top 702.2400 · median 665.2800
Chicken
26 entries · top 178.8572 · median 169.6800
Pork Ribs
26 entries · top 180 · median 165.1202 · 🔥 perfect 180
Pork
26 entries · top 177.7028 · median 166.2628
Brisket
26 entries · top 180 · median 162.8114 · 🔥 perfect 180