Jun 30 – Jul 1, 2023 · Soldotna, AK · 📍 251 States Ave
Reps: John Mann, Michelle Mann · Prize money: $2,300
SMOKEY HAZE won Grand Champion at the Kenai River BBQ Competition on June 30, 2023 in Soldotna, AK at 251 States Ave, scoring 693.6800 in a field of 9 teams. Halfracks Smoke Shack took Reserve Grand Champion with 692.5488. Category winners: Chicken — Smoken J's BBQ (178.8572); Pork Ribs — Smoken J's BBQ (171.9884); Pork — SMOKEY HAZE (177.7144); Brisket — Halfracks Smoke Shack (176.5716). This is the 1st of 2 editions of this contest on record; the next was held in 2024.
Overall totals, every team on the board — tall stacks are where the pack sat.
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
Everything below is read straight out of the results — the number on each card is the one that made it a story.
Closer than 83% of the 4,713 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 1.1312 points — closer than 83% of every championship in the data.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 74 times in 100
SMOKEY HAZE came in rated below the field's top team, WHO DAT BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 26-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
Halfracks Smoke Shack finished 2nd overall in the first contest the data has them cooking at all.
Chicken places 6–7: Cowgirls Forever edged Buzzed Bee Que by 0.4912.
Smoken J's BBQ won Chicken, Pork Ribs — a double.
SMOKEY HAZE took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was chicken at 3rd.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 30, 2023 ← this one | Soldotna, AK | 251 States Ave | 9 | 693.6800 | Smokey Haze BBQ | Halfracks Smoke Shack |
| May 31, 2024 | Soldotna, AK | 44223 Sterling Hwy | 7 | 710.8228 | Smokin J's BBQ | Holy Trinity BBQ |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 178.8572 | 169.6800 | — |
| Pork Ribs | 171.9884 | 167.4056 | — |
| Pork | 177.7144 | 166.8456 | — |
| Brisket | 176.5716 | 163.4288 | — |
9 entries · top 693.6800 · median 668.5372
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMOKEY HAZE | |
| 2 | Halfracks Smoke Shack | |
| 3 | JC Holy Smokes | |
| 4 | Up N Smoke | |
| 5 | Buzzed Bee Que | |
| 6 | Cowgirls Forever | |
| 7 | J & J BBQ | |
| 8 | Who Dat BBQ | |
| 9 | Smoken J's BBQ |
9 entries · top 178.8572 · median 169.6800
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smoken J's BBQ | |
| 2 | JC Holy Smokes | |
| 3 | SMOKEY HAZE | |
| 4 | Halfracks Smoke Shack | |
| 5 | Up N Smoke | |
| 6 | Cowgirls Forever | |
| 7 | Buzzed Bee Que | |
| 8 | Who Dat BBQ | |
| 9 | J & J BBQ |
9 entries · top 171.9884 · median 167.4056
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smoken J's BBQ | |
| 2 | SMOKEY HAZE | |
| 3 | Halfracks Smoke Shack | |
| 4 | JC Holy Smokes | |
| 5 | Buzzed Bee Que | |
| 6 | J & J BBQ | |
| 7 | Up N Smoke | |
| 8 | Cowgirls Forever | |
| 9 | Who Dat BBQ |
8 entries · top 177.7144 · median 168.8514
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMOKEY HAZE | |
| 2 | Halfracks Smoke Shack | |
| 3 | Up N Smoke | |
| 4 | JC Holy Smokes | |
| 5 | Buzzed Bee Que | |
| 6 | Cowgirls Forever | |
| 7 | J & J BBQ | |
| 8 | Who Dat BBQ |
8 entries · top 176.5716 · median 163.6972
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Halfracks Smoke Shack | |
| 2 | SMOKEY HAZE | |
| 3 | Buzzed Bee Que | |
| 4 | Up N Smoke | |
| 5 | J & J BBQ | |
| 6 | JC Holy Smokes | |
| 7 | Cowgirls Forever | |
| 8 | Who Dat BBQ |