SMITHFIELD, Va. – Smithfield Foods announced its second annual Smithfield BBQ Classic barbecue competition will be held Sept. 29 at Richmond Raceway Complex in Richmond, Virginia. The competition, which will bring together 50 barbecue teams from across the country to compete for more than $10,000 in cash prizes, is also sponsored by Big Poppa Smokers. The winner of the Kansas City Barbecue Society-sanctioned event will be invited to participate in the Smithfield King of the Smoker competition in Palm Springs, California, on Dec. 1.

The free event invites barbecue fans to enjoy food trucks, giveaways, free samples and family-friendly activities. The event will run from noon to 6 p.m., with the awards ceremony taking place at 5 p.m.

“Smithfield continues to invest in the sport of barbecue. We’re thrilled to partner with the legendary Tuffy Stone and Big Poppa Smokers to host the Smithfield BBQ Classic for the second consecutive year,” said Emily Detwiler, director of fresh pork marketing for Smithfield Foods. “Due to the significant interest from fans and teams participating this year, we’re excited to expand our footprint and bring the event from our hometown of Smithfield, Virginia, to the Richmond Raceway Complex.”

Sterling Ball and Tuffy Stone, veteran pitmasters with many championships under their belts, will offer cooking tips and tricks and conduct pork grilling demos for attendees.

“As a professional pitmaster, I know that having top quality meat is important. Smithfield Fresh Pork is great for both competition cooks and backyard BBQ aficionados; and you can find it just about anywhere,” Ball said. “I expect to see some good-looking rib and pork turn-ins from the teams this weekend.”