Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Episode 277: Joel Fleetwood, Richard Fergola
Release Date: 09/18/2024
Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Episode 317: Darren Warth
Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast
The OG #GOATOFBBQ can still get it done. On Episode 317 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we visit with BBQ Hall of Famer Darren Warth about his latest KCBS Grand Championship, this one bigger than most. It came last weekend at the Grand American Barbecue World Championship in Port Jervis, New York. The $15,000 prize was one of the bigger non-majors he’s won and the second GC in the last month for he and wife Sherry’s Iowa Smokey D’s team. Darren told us about feeling reinvigorated about competition BBQ these days and it sounds like the three-time American Royal World Series of BBQ Grand...
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Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Episode 316: Brad Leighninger
Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast
When selected as one of 12 contestants for the Food Network program BBQ Brawl, Brad Leighninger of Nixa, Mo., said he just wanted to have fun and represent the competition BBQ world as best he could. Chalk it up as mission accomplished on both parts, plus a whole lot more. The pitmaster behind three-time (working on four-time) KCBS Team of the Year Gettin’ Basted made it all the way to the finale where he lost a tie-breaker with Georgia’s Kyle Bryner for Master of ‘Cue. On Episode 316 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Brad reflects on BBQ Brawl’s 10-episode journey from what it...
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Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Episode 315: Ercole Chila tribute
Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast
The competition BBQ world was rocked late last week by the tragic news that Ercole Chila from Uncle Pigs Barbecue Pit from Paulsboro, N.J., had been killed in an automobile accident. Two of Ercole’s shining accomplishments on the competition trail was Uncle Pig’s 2022 KCBS Team of the Year award and the 2023 Jack Daniels World BBQ Invitational championship. But beyond the smoke and tasty proteins was a man who was a friend to so many across the land. On Episode 315 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast we visit with two of Ercole’s close BBQ friends, Mike Licciardello and Dave Travis. They...
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Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Epsiode 314: Ashton Smith with O.G. Bandits
Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast
For Ashton Smith and Josh Farley, the idea of a BBQ restaurant and food truck seemed unlikely a couple of years ago. But after winning the Made for KC competition in 2023, earning naming rights to the BBQ restaurant in Kansas City International Airport for what turned out to be 18 months, the O.G. Bandits are more than a championship KCBS competition team - they’re now an award-winning restaurant with a retail line of rubs and sauces and perhaps bigger things are coming soon. On Episode 314 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Ashton tells us about a world-wide restaurant hospitality award the...
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Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Episode 313: Brant Champoux, Chuck Simpson
Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast
Episode 313 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast takes us back “Under the Rader” to learn the story of an up-and-coming competition team. This time it’s Brant Champoux from Second Hand Smoke out of Oskaloosa, Iowa. Brant discusses his journey from the backyard division to taking on all four meats in 2025, with a terrific showing in his first KCBS competition of the season. There’s a terrific competition coming up in west-central Missouri. It’s the 7th annual Smokin’ on the Osage in Osceola with all the amenities a great contest needs. Chuck Simpson, who organizes the KCBS Masters and...
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Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Episode 312: Joe Pearce, Skyler Spartan
Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast
We catch up with one of America’s elite competition pitmasters and proprietor of Kansas City’s top BBQ restaurant on Episode 312 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast. Joe Pearce of Slaps BBQ is fresh off a Grand Championship at the 159-team Great Lenexa BBQ Battle, his 47th career KCBS Grand Championship. A three-time runner-up in KCBS Team of the Year standings, Joe tells us why that contest is special to him and talks about his decision to scale back his competition schedule. He’s also a former competitor on the Food Network program BBQ Brawl and gives his take on Season 6 and buddy Brad...
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Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Episode 311: Travis Clark, Charlie Wallace
Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast
When you think of Oklahoma sports, you think of college with the Sooners or Cowboys and even Golden Hurricane. But these days, the Oklahoma City Thunder have turned the state into a pro basketball-frenzied state and to measure the enthusiasm we check in with Hall of Fame pit master Travis Clark of Clark Crew BBQ. Along with basketball, we visit with Travis about his restaurants, memories of his historic 2017 KCBS Team of the Year season and what he misses about the competition circuit. Charlie Wallace from The Grill Guys of Missouri has the latest from the area’s leading BBQ store,...
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Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Episode 310: Under the Radar with Three Stooges BBQ
Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast
Episode 310 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast features a trio of guys from the St. Louis area who are having fun while learning the ropes of competition BBQ. Chris Flanders, Jason Adams and Rodney Adams are Three Stooges BBQ and they’re determined to make an impact against the big teams after learning the ropes in the backyard division. Go go “Under the Radar” to learn more about My Three Stooges. Skyler Spartan from The Grill Guys of Missouri has the latest from the BBQ store in Republic, Mo., and co-hosts Lyndal and Steve review their cooking weeks and preview the upcoming...
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Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Episode 309: Josh Schluterman, Lawson Parker
Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast
On Episode 309 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we talk tailgating with one of the best in college sports. Josh Schluterman and Ben Crozier are Baum BQ Squad out of Fayetteville, Ark. The duo are top-notch Steak Cookoff Association and Rib Cookout Association contestants, but the avid, long-time Arkansas Razorbacks fans throw some of the best tailgates around. Josh joins us to talk about their two favorite passions and the upcoming trip to the College World Series in Omaha where the Razorbacks will be the team to beat. The “Under the Radar” segment returns where an up-and-coming team...
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Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Episode 308: Alby Ranson, Thomas Gearhart
Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast
Alby Ranson and Scuffletown Smokers don’t cook every weekend, like many championship-level BBQ teams. But the southern Indiana team makes the most of its opportunities, notching another World Championship recently at the KCBS World Invitational. On Episode 308 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Alby reviews the winning cook and talks about how the title compares to winning The Jack Daniels World Invitational last fall. We also talk it over with Thomas Gearhart of Mudville BBQ, the 2019 American Royal World Series of BBQ Open Grand Champion. Thomas is still winning, but most the...
info_outlineLong-time competition cook Joel Fleetwood never dreamed of having his Meat Rushmore BBQ team’s name on a BBQ restaurant. But after winning last weekend’s Made for KC event, that’s exactly what will happen in the fall of 2025. On Episode 277 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, Joel talks about what the opportunity to have naming rights, with menu construction and a new line of Meat Rushmore BBQ products means. Also the president of the KCBS Board of Directors, Joel also gives us a couple of newsy nuggets about the organization.
We also check in with Richard Fergola for the latest happenings at Proud Souls BBQ and Provisions Kansas City, where you can pre-order top-quality meat and supplies for the American Royal World Series of BBQ. On our Smoke ’n Magic Minute, Breana Via tells us how the Smoke ’n Magic rib rub can be used on more than ribs. And we take a trip to Republic, Mo., where Skyler Spartan has a rundown of the news from The Grill Guys of Missouri.
Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible:
Blues Hog #blueshognation
Royal Oak Charcoal #TeamRoyalOak2024 #charcoalofchampions
The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked
Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq
The Grill Guys of Missouri #grillguys417
Smoke ’n Magic BBQ #SmokenMagic
Vietti Marketing Group
Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza
Have a great BBQ week! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm