Austin’s Texas Lightning BBQ is from Burr Ridge, Illinois, and they’ve been on the road for 30 years, competing in cook-offs across the United States. Pitmaster Nikki Haggerty and her team have won numerous awards over the years, including awards at the Chicago Windy City Rib Fest and the Mankato Ribfest in Minnesota. This will be their fourth time at Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off, but Haggerty has been to the cook-off for many years as part of her father’s competitive barbecue team, Chicago BBQ.