TAZEWELL, Tenn. — Recapping the 16th annual Schaeffer’s Southern Nationals with a list of superlatives from the 12 events contested in four states over 16 days from July 10-25 (complete Southern Nationals coverage):

Best driver: Without question it’s Brandon Overton of Evans, Ga., who won half of the 12 events and never finished worse than fifth en route to his third career Schaeffer’s Southern Nationals championship. After transmission issues slowed him in the series opener — he still MORE

I’d just picked up a Boston butt and some ribs that my brother cooked overnight July 3 and was in the middle of making homemade baked beans and slaw when I thought to myself that it seems like I’ve been doing the same thing for more than 30 years now.

My parents owned a barbecue restaurant for almost 20 years, so the barbecue stuff on the Fourth of July is a tradition no doubt. For about 12 years or so, it was a job that I couldn’t escape. The Independence Day holiday was easily our busiest MORE