Navy SEAL Danny Dietz Memorial Classic Cookoff
2023-09-08 – 2023-09-09 · Waller, TX · State championship
Reps: KAREN JANE WILLIAMS, RALPH WILLIAMS · Prize money: $35,000.00
Grand Champion: Race Crew Drum Smokers (693.1660) · 99 teams
Entries
99
4 categories
Top score
693.1660
Winning margin
1.2004
GC over RC
Field average
648.53
median 662.23
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Pork
1.1656 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
684.5372
what a walk cost here
Field spread
366.3548
winner to last place
Prize money
$35,000.00
on the line
Double threats
4
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 54%
beats 46% of 2715 overall wins in the data
Field strength
1514
avg power rating going in · stronger than 19% of contests
Storylines
🪒 A razor-thin finish
The Grand Championship was decided by 1.2004 points — closer than 77% of every championship in the data.
🃏 An upset on the books
Race Crew Drum Smokers came in rated below the field's top team, Meat Candy Q, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 19-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
This contest over the years
| Date | Where | Teams | High score | Grand Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-09-08 ← this one | Waller, TX | 99 | 693.1660 | Race Crew Drum Smokers |
| 2024-09-13 | Waller, TX | 67 | 694.3772 | Chillin & Grillin Texas BBQ |
| 2025-09-12 | Waller, TX | 92 | 698.8344 | Rio Valley Meat BBQ |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series — Brisket
98 entries · top 177.7372 · median 163.9828
Master Series — Chicken
98 entries · top 177.7372 · median 166.2514
Master Series — Overall
99 entries · top 693.1660 · median 662.2284
Master Series — Pork
99 entries · top 178.8800 · median 166.8684
Master Series — Pork Ribs
99 entries · top 179.4400 · median 167.3944