How handily did Joey Chestnut beat Kobayashi in the hot dog eating contest?”
PHOENIX — A California man smashed the world record for hot dog eating at a contest Saturday, gobbling up more than 59 franks in 12 minutes. Joe Chestnut, 23, of San Jose, shattered the record held by Takeru Kobayashi of Japan by downing 59½ “HDBs” — hot dogs and buns — during the Southwest Regional Hot Dog Eating Championship at the Arizona Mills Mall in suburban Tempe. Kobayashi’s old record of 53½ was set last year at Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest, held at Coney Island in New York, said George Costos, who helps runs the regional contests for Nathan’s. Chestnut placed second in last year’s world championships, consuming 52 hot dogs. “He’s unbelievable — he just keeps on going,” said Ryan Nerz, who works for Major League Eating, which he describes as “a world governing board for all stomach-centric sports.” “These guys’ numbers have just been going up at a tremendous clip,” Nerz said. “I always thought there was a limit — a limit to the human stomach and a
Still King: Chestnut chomps 68 franks to win third Nathan’s title NEW YORK — Sixty-eight hot dogs. Ten minutes. Zero vomit. Another hot dog eating world record was broken this Fourth of July by the world’s leading gurgitator, Joey Chestnut. The three-time Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating champion out-ate the competition with an engorged stomach, a green face, $20,000 and the coveted Mustard Yellow Belt in hand. Apparently hot dog glory really is worth extreme gastric agony. Chestnut beat his arch rival Takeru Kobayashi 68 franks to 64. There was no dramatic tie on Coney Island this year, no five hot dog eat-off overtime like there was in 2008. Chestnut took the lead right away. He inhaled dog after dog by using methodic chomps and paced swallows — three huge bites could throw one back and keep it down. He had the meat sweats. There were chewed chunks of hot dog on his face and white shirt. But he achieved his goal. He beat the 12 minute hot dog eating world record — 59 – in 10 minutes
