Art of the Que
2023-07-07 – 2023-07-08 · Spencer, IA · 📍 800 W 18th Street · State championship
Reps: CLARA WILLIAMS, JONATHAN B WILLIAMS · Prize money: $7,810.00
Grand Champion: Hot Daddy's BBQ (697.1088) · 28 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 LAST CALL HEROES BBQ
Entries
28
6 judged meats
Top score
697.1088
Winning margin
2.8916
GC over RC
Field average
672.84
median 675.34
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Chicken
3.4168 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
678.7660
10th place overall
Field spread
62.3772
winner to last place
Prize money
$7,810.00
on the line
Double threats
6
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 63%
beats 37% of 1951 Master Series wins in the data
Traveled in
68%
of the 44 teams with a home region came from outside IA
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.39 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1583
avg power rating going in · stronger than 82% of contests
Storylines
👑 A dynasty in the making
Hot Daddy's BBQ has won this contest 2 times across its 4 tracked editions.
🧹 A double category winner
HOT DADDY'S BBQ won Chicken, Pork — a double, and took the Grand Championship on top of it.
📸 Photo finishes
Master Series — Chicken places 2–3: RUM N' SMOKE BBQ and Papa Linda's Barbecue tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Pork Ribs places 5–6: Mr. Dudes BBQ and TEAM CRAWFORD tied on 172.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Pork places 1–2: HOT DADDY'S BBQ and Son of a Boar BBQ tied on 178.8572 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-07-07 ← this one | Spencer, IA | 800 W 18th Street | 28 | 697.1088 | Hot Daddy's BBQ | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ |
| 2024-06-28 | Spencer, IA | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2025-06-27 | Spencer, IA | 800 W 18th Street | 15 | 705.7032 | BIG RACKS BBQ | HOT DADDY'S BBQ |
| 2025-06-27 | Spencer, IA | 800 W 18th Street | 17 | 350.8456 | BRAMBLE BBQ | — |
| 2025-06-27 | Spencer, IA | 800 W 18th Street | 12 | 177.7144 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | — |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Series — Chicken | 177.7028 | 174.2860 | 170.8228 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 177.1428 | 172.5600 | 170.2744 |
| Master Series — Pork | 178.8572 | 174.8572 | 171.4172 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 177.7028 | 173.7144 | 169.6800 |
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 176.0116 | 171.4172 | 162.2516 |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 172.5600 | 169.1200 | 159.9428 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
28 entries · top 697.1088 · median 675.3430
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 2 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 3 | RUM N' SMOKE BBQ | |
| 4 | Ash Kickin' BBQ | |
| 5 | Mr. Dudes BBQ | |
| 6 | NECTAR OF THE HOGS | |
| 7 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 8 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 9 | Hogline BBQ | |
| 10 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 11 | Son of a Boar BBQ | |
| 12 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 13 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 14 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 15 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 16 | SPITFIRE | |
| 17 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 18 | Pittie Q | |
| 19 | Phoenix BBQ | |
| 20 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | |
| 21 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 22 | Papa Linda's Barbecue | |
| 23 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 24 | SMOKE IN THE EYE | |
| 25 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 26 | PORK COUNTY BARBECUE | |
| 27 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 28 | Steel Smoke BBQ |
Chicken
28 entries · top 177.7028 · median 168.8514
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 2 | RUM N' SMOKE BBQ | |
| 3 | Papa Linda's Barbecue | |
| 4 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 5 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 6 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 7 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 8 | Mr. Dudes BBQ | |
| 9 | Ash Kickin' BBQ | |
| 10 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 11 | SPITFIRE | |
| 12 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 13 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 14 | NECTAR OF THE HOGS | |
| 15 | Phoenix BBQ | |
| 16 | Pittie Q | |
| 17 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 18 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 19 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | |
| 20 | Steel Smoke BBQ | |
| 21 | Son of a Boar BBQ | |
| 22 | Hogline BBQ | |
| 23 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 24 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 25 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 26 | SMOKE IN THE EYE | |
| 27 | PORK COUNTY BARBECUE | |
| 28 | TEAM CRAWFORD |
Pork Ribs
28 entries · top 177.1428 · median 168.8458
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 2 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 3 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 4 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 5 | Mr. Dudes BBQ | |
| 6 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 7 | Phoenix BBQ | |
| 8 | Ash Kickin' BBQ | |
| 9 | Hogline BBQ | |
| 10 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 11 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 12 | Pittie Q | |
| 13 | RUM N' SMOKE BBQ | |
| 14 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 15 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 16 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 17 | SPITFIRE | |
| 18 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 19 | Son of a Boar BBQ | |
| 20 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 21 | NECTAR OF THE HOGS | |
| 22 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 23 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | |
| 24 | SMOKE IN THE EYE | |
| 25 | PORK COUNTY BARBECUE | |
| 26 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 27 | Steel Smoke BBQ | |
| 28 | Papa Linda's Barbecue |
Pork
28 entries · top 178.8572 · median 169.1200
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 2 | Son of a Boar BBQ | |
| 3 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | |
| 4 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 5 | RUM N' SMOKE BBQ | |
| 6 | NECTAR OF THE HOGS | |
| 7 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 8 | SPITFIRE | |
| 9 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 10 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 11 | SMOKE IN THE EYE | |
| 12 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 13 | Mr. Dudes BBQ | |
| 14 | Phoenix BBQ | |
| 15 | Papa Linda's Barbecue | |
| 16 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 17 | Hogline BBQ | |
| 18 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 19 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 20 | Ash Kickin' BBQ | |
| 21 | PORK COUNTY BARBECUE | |
| 22 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 23 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 24 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 25 | Pittie Q | |
| 26 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 27 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 28 | Steel Smoke BBQ |
Brisket
28 entries · top 177.7028 · median 167.9772
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | |
| 2 | Ash Kickin' BBQ | |
| 3 | Pittie Q | |
| 4 | Hogline BBQ | |
| 5 | NECTAR OF THE HOGS | |
| 6 | UGLY BABY BBQ | |
| 7 | HOT DADDY'S BBQ | |
| 8 | TEAM CRAWFORD | |
| 9 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 10 | LUSCIOUS LOINS BBQ | |
| 11 | Mr. Dudes BBQ | |
| 12 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 13 | WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | |
| 14 | RUM N' SMOKE BBQ | |
| 15 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 16 | MACHETE BOYS BBQ | |
| 17 | Papa Linda's Barbecue | |
| 18 | Son of a Boar BBQ | |
| 19 | SPITFIRE | |
| 20 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 21 | SMOKE IN THE EYE | |
| 22 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | |
| 23 | PORK COUNTY BARBECUE | |
| 24 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 25 | T-Rex BBQ | |
| 26 | Phoenix BBQ | |
| 27 | SMOKEHOUSE 72 | |
| 28 | Steel Smoke BBQ |
Backyard Series
Overall
16 entries · top 343.9656 · median 331.3714
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DAWGS BBQ | |
| 2 | Furlongs Smoke & Seafood | |
| 3 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 4 | WRECKING CREW BBQ | |
| 5 | SMOKEY GQ | |
| 6 | Weasel's Bone Lickin' BBQ | |
| 7 | BBQ Pit Bros | |
| 8 | Big Ten Bones | |
| 9 | FENDER BENDER BBQ | |
| 10 | Sensuous BBQ | |
| 11 | Rack Shack bbq | |
| 12 | Sweet Natty's Smokin'Q | |
| 13 | Sota Smoke BBQ | |
| 14 | East Bow %22Que | |
| 15 | Trash Panda BBQ | |
| 16 | Purrfect Que BBQ Team |
Chicken
16 entries · top 176.0116 · median 167.6858
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 2 | DAWGS BBQ | |
| 3 | Big Ten Bones | |
| 4 | Furlongs Smoke & Seafood | |
| 5 | Sensuous BBQ | |
| 6 | SMOKEY GQ | |
| 7 | Weasel's Bone Lickin' BBQ | |
| 8 | WRECKING CREW BBQ | |
| 9 | Sweet Natty's Smokin'Q | |
| 10 | Rack Shack bbq | |
| 11 | East Bow %22Que | |
| 12 | FENDER BENDER BBQ | |
| 13 | BBQ Pit Bros | |
| 14 | Sota Smoke BBQ | |
| 15 | Trash Panda BBQ | |
| 16 | Purrfect Que BBQ Team |
Pork Ribs
16 entries · top 172.5600 · median 164.5372
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BBQ Pit Bros | |
| 2 | WRECKING CREW BBQ | |
| 3 | FENDER BENDER BBQ | |
| 4 | Furlongs Smoke & Seafood | |
| 5 | DAWGS BBQ | |
| 6 | Weasel's Bone Lickin' BBQ | |
| 7 | SMOKEY GQ | |
| 8 | Sota Smoke BBQ | |
| 9 | Smokin Suckers | |
| 10 | Rack Shack bbq | |
| 11 | Sensuous BBQ | |
| 12 | Trash Panda BBQ | |
| 13 | Big Ten Bones | |
| 14 | East Bow %22Que | |
| 15 | Sweet Natty's Smokin'Q | |
| 16 | Purrfect Que BBQ Team |