Grillers, Elvis descend on Arena Park for 14th annual Cape BBQ

Friday night, Elvis entered the grilling.

The Bank of Advance, using a "Viva Las Vegas" theme, won the 14th annual Cape BBQ Fest's showmanship competition Friday. Bank customer Darren Roper posed as the King, making his entrance in a stretch limousine.

"About 10 or 12 women at the bank spend all summer long thinking up the theme," said team member Harold Miles. "Since we already won showmanship, it takes a little pressure off us."

The team doesn't debate about recipes or how long meat should smoke or cook, and it regularly gets advice and recipes from customers. "We take it all in throughout the year," said Derek Beussink.

Forty-five teams from several states competed in pork, pork ribs, beef brisket and chicken categories in the quest for the title of grand champion.

The grand champion team declared Saturday was Two Little Pigs of Dyersburg, Tenn.; the reserve grand champion team was Ulcer Acres of Jacksonville, Ill. First-place teams were Two Little Pigs, chicken; Haulin' Butt, pork ribs; Kentucky Smokin' Crew, pork; and Highway Heat, brisket.

This is second year the event at Arena Park has been sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society. In a sanctioned event, grand champions could be invited to participate in the society's annual barbecue competition.

Three Men and a Grill won third place in Friday's showmanship competition with a performance that parodied Toby Keith's "I Love this Bar." The three men, Kevin Ammon and John Butler of Jackson, Ken Carter of Cape Girardeau, donned pig noses and belted out "I Love this Pig," dressed in hula skirts and hot pink shirts.

Ammon, in his 14th competitive year, said the team competes six to eight times a year.

"Every competition is different," he said. "I thought our chicken looked really good, but, although they judge on appearance, taste and tenderness, you can't teach taste."

The three slept little the night before. Butts had to be put on the smoker at 1:30 a.m., brisket at 7 a.m.

"We're fortunate to have a sponsor," Ammon said. "We cook about 60 pounds of meat for this event and turn in only about 40 ounces."

Team members agreed, after all that meat, they don't eat barbecue for at least a week.

cpagano@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 133