Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast Steve Koehler and Lyndal Scranton

It’s an action packed Episode 263 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast with an assortment of guests with good info and stories to tell.
First up at the 9:26 mark is Charles Simpson, with a preview of the National High School BBQ Championships coming up this weekend (June 7-9) in Branson, Missouri. As director of the Missouri High School BBQ Association and coach of Osceola High School’s teams in west-central Missouri, Simpson runs down the format in Branson and talks about the growth of high school BBQ and the life skills to the youngsters that will extend beyond their teen years.
We love it when Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast “Under the Radar” teams go on to find big success. Another example is Kyle Johnson and T-Rex BBQ out of Newton, Iowa. Kyle rolled up to Owatonna, Minnesota in a last-minute decision to compete and took home Grand Championship honors at the Smokin’ in Steele competition for GC No. 2. Starting at the 26:49 mark, Kyle tells his BBQ story and why the latest was so meaningful to him.
After a couple of weeks traveling, our Smoke ’n Magic Minute is back at the 46:27 mark and Breana Via gives us the latest happenings with the Kansas City-area competition team and brand ambassadors. We also take a trip at 50:25 to Republic, Missouri for news from The Grill Guys of Missouri from store co-owner Charlie Wallace. 
Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve review their cooking weeks and take a quick tour of the sports world. 
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
Smoke ’n Magic BBQ #SmokenMagic
Vietti Marketing Group  
Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza
Have a great BBQ week! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

The 6th annual KCBS World Invitational was held over Memorial Day Weekend in Lebanon, Tenn., and on Episode 262 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast we talk it over with both of the big winners.
Drew Davis of Razorracks BBQ out of Pleasant Plains, Ark., has won 28 KCBS Grand Championships during his career. But Drew and wife Chelsey picked up their biggest title when Razorracks scored a 708.548 to top the 81-team World Invitational. Razorracks also was a solid third in the Open the day before and Drew discusses the weekend, what it’s like being a “canopy cooker” dealing with the elements and how he chooses whether to use his Jambo or Gateway Drum Smokers (he wins on both) on a given weekend.
We also talk it over with the Grand Champion from the World Open, Brad Cox of Local Yokels BBQ from Crossville, Ill. Like Razorracks, Local Yokels is a family team with Brad’s wife, Jocelyn, and their two daughters. Local Yokels had a near-flawless cook, scoring 709.72 to lead a 118-team field in the Open. It was the seventh GC in just 65 career KCBS comps and Brad gives a rundown of how they got started in competition BBQ and some keys to his success.
Co-host Steve Koehler kicks off the show with a review a recent trip he and wife Donna took to Texas, where they made a tour of some popular BBQ joints - including the world-famous Franklin’s in Austin. Steve said it did not disappoint.
Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible: 
Blues Hog #blueshognation
Royal Oak Charcoal #TeamRoyalOak2024 
The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked 
Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq 
The Grill Guys of Missouri
Smoke ’n Magic BBQ #SmokenMagic
Vietti Marketing Group  
Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza
Have a great BBQ week! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

We’re all about celebrating the iconic BBQ teams on the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, but we also love to shine the spotlight on those up-and-coming teams who achieve big things. This week on Episode 261, we focus on Barking Dog BBQ out of Kansas City, a team of childhood friends Dave Lillis, Kevin Bunting and Brian Tuttle. Barking Dog BBQ (we explore the origin and meaning of that unique team name) just won its first career KCBS Grand Championship and we talk the guys about their love of BBQ and how they’ve been able to take it to a championship level.
We also talk Memorial Day Weekend cooking plans with Charlie Wallace from the Grill Guys of Missouri, where Charlie and his long-time friend and co-store-owner Skyler Spartan have opened a food truck. On our weekly BBQ news and notes, we recap results from Memphis in May and SmokeSlam and run through the roll call of Grand Champions from the past week.
Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and team review their cooking weeks, which included a seventh-place finish for the Tailgate Guys BBQ team in West Plains, Missouri, and Steve reports from Texas where he’s on a BBQ expedition.
Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible: 
Blues Hog #blueshognation
Royal Oak Charcoal #TeamRoyalOak2024 
The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked 
Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq 
The Grill Guys of Missouri
Smoke ’n Magic BBQ #SmokenMagic
Vietti Marketing Group  
Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza
Have a great BBQ week! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

Episode 260 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast takes us to the Phoenix area to visit with Kyle Matuszewski, owner-operator of Your Behind BBQ restaurant in Florence. Kyle is a long-time competitor on the Steak Cookoff Association and KCBS trails and he’s parlayed that success into a red-hot start in the restaurant business. Kyle breaks down his story which includes how a restaurant owner deals with his first 1-star Yelp review. 
Brad Colter and Breana Via from Smoke N Magic BBQ stop by for their weekly segment, reviewing their recent trip down under to participate in Meatstock Sydney. They also preview their appearance at Memphis in May this weekend, where they’ll be doing demos for Home Depot. On the Grill Guys of Missouri segment, Skyler Spartan gives the latest from the Republic, Mo., BBQ store.
Co-hosts Lyndal and Steve discuss their latest cooking adventures and plans, and they have some quick thoughts on a host of sports topics. 
Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible: 
Blues Hog #blueshognation
Royal Oak Charcoal #TeamRoyalOak2024 
The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked 
Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq 
The Grill Guys of Missouri
Smoke ’n Magic BBQ #SmokenMagic
Vietti Marketing Group  
Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza
Have a great BBQ week! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

When we’re asked about BBQ restaurant recommendations in the St. Louis area, Heavy Smoke BBQ always is at the top of our list. On Episode 259 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast, we talk it over with Chris Schafer, the owner-operator of Heavy Smoke BBQ about the constantly overlapping thrills and challenges of the restaurant industry. Chris also is one of the world’s top competition pitmasters, a past Grand Champion at both the Jack Daniels World BBQ Invitational and KCBS Invitational World Championship. Heavy Smoke is No. 2 in the KCBS Team of the Year standings in 2024 and we ask Chris about a possible Team of the Year.
It’s also time for our monthly chat with Richard Fergola, pitmaster of Fergolicious BBQ and marketing director for Proud Souls BBQ and Provisions. “Fergie” is gearing up for a trip to the new Smoke Slam, next week in Memphis. 
We also have our weekly segments with Breana Via of Smoke n Magic and Charlie Wallace from Grill Guys of Missouri. Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve discuss their latest cooking adventures and plans, and they give some brutally honest opinions on the downfall of the St. Louis Cardinals on the sports segment.
Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible: 
Blues Hog #blueshognation
Royal Oak Charcoal #TeamRoyalOak2024 
The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked 
Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq 
The Grill Guys of Missouri
Smoke ’n Magic BBQ #SmokenMagic
Vietti Marketing Group  
Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza
Have a great BBQ week! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

One of the greatest to light a pit - and a great friend of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Show since the beginning on local, low-powered radio - joins us for an extended conversation on Episode 258. Brad Leighninger just passed the 11-year anniversary of his first BBQ Grand Championship. Now, 70 GCs later, Gettin’ Basted is a three-time KCBS Team of the Year, a Jack Daniels World BBQ Invitational Grand Champion, Brad is a part of the Blues Hog 2022 Memphis in May World Champion. He’s also co-owner of four restaurants in the southwest Missouri area including a couple of new ones in the tourist-mecca of Branson. We visit with Brad on a variety of topics, including the upcoming Memphis in May.
“We’re coming in motivated,” Brad said of Team Blues Hog. “I wouldn’t bet against us.”
We also have our weekly segments with Brad Colter from Smoke n Magic and Skyler Spartan from Grill Guys of Missouri. Meanwhile, co-hosts Lyndal and Steve discuss their latest cooking adventures and plans and preview their open-fire plans for the week ahead. 
Thanks to all our sponsors and marketing partners for making the show possible: 
Blues Hog #blueshognation
Royal Oak Charcoal #TeamRoyalOak2024 
The Butcher Shoppe #alwayshandpicked 
Proud Souls BBQ Kansas City #proudsoulsbbqkc #kingdomofq 
The Grill Guys of Missouri
Smoke ’n Magic BBQ #SmokenMagic
Vietti Marketing Group  
Marty "Real Sign Man" Prather #pizza
Have a great BBQ week! #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm