I Smell Smoke has had a busy season. The team taught a competition barbecue class in Keene, NH the weekend of August 1. Many of the teams that attended have been winning contests and giving ISS!!! a run for its money. The following weekend, the team headed to Elliot, Maine to comete in the Maine State BBQ Championship. ISS!!! was the Reserve Grand Champion, with 2^nd place Chicken, 1^st Ribs, and 1^st Brisket. The next weekend was the Hudson Valley Ribfest in New Palz, New York. The team placed 10th out of 60 teams. After relaxing the next weekend at the NEBS Summerfest held at Camp Collier in Gardner, MA, the team headed to New Holland, Pennsylvania where ISS!!! finished 3^rd overall out of 72 teams, with a 3^rd place Ribs call. The team took Labor Day weekend off to relax by the pool.

 In September, the team headed to Norwalk, Connecticut to compete in the Oyster Festival. ISS!!! cooked its first whole hog and placed 2^nd. The team placed 10^th overall, with a call for 1^st place Ribs. The next weekend, the team headed back to Harvard, Massachusetts for the MA State BBQ Championship. ISS!!! was the Reserve Grand Champion, with a 1^st place Brisket call. The team headed back to Connecticut to win Grand Champion of the State Championship in Westport, with 2^nd place Ribs, 1^st place Pork, and 2^nd place Brisket.

In October, the team headed down to Kansas City to compete in the American Royal Barbecue. ISS!!! Was 18^th overall in the Invitational. The team earned a 7^th place call for Brisket in the Open and finished 9^th overall, out of 473 teams.  After a weekend off, ISS!!! jumped back on the road for a short jaunt to Dover, Delaware. The team received a 5^th place for Ribs and was 5^th overall out of 81 teams.

Whew! It’s been a busy season…ISS!!! Is currently in the top 10 for the KCBS Team of the Year! The Points Chase is on…