When Chris Schafer cooked at the The Jack Daniels World Invitational BBQ Championship in 2019, he was sick and soon was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Thankfully, Chris made a full recovery and his second trip to The Jack, last week, was one to remember. Along with his dad and cooking teammate, Eddie “Pops” Schafer, Chris and Heavy Smoke BBQ took home the Grand Championship from one of BBQ’s majors and he discusses what it all means on Episode 185 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast.

In our review of The Jack, we also talk it over with Reserve Grand Champion Norris “Syd” Sydnor from Maryland’s Good Googly Good BBQ. Syd, first featured on our show in an “Under the Radar” segment in 2021, overcame mechanical misfortune with his trailer en route to make it a memorable weekend in Lynchburg, Tennessee, for his biggest BBQ moment to date. It’s great to welcome Syd back to the show.

Co-hosts Lyndal and Steve kick the show off by discussing their cooking weeks and the importance of winterizing those grills and smokers before winter arrives in full force.

A big thanks to our great sponsor/marketing partners who make Season 4 of the Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast possible: Blues Hog BBQ Sauce, Royal Oak Charcoal, The Butcher Shoppe, Iowa BBQ Store, Fergolicious BBQ, Affordable Financial Services, Arkassippi Smoke Live and The Arkassippi Combo, Pro Technology Solutions, Vietti Marketing, In the Garden of Eden and Marty “Sign Man” Prather and Domino’s.

Have a great BBQ Week and thanks for listening!

#SmokeEmIfYouGotEm