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Joey Chestnut Retains Mustard Belt with Record 68 Hot Dogs
By
Billy Parker
Published Jul 4, 2009
Modified Jul 4, 2009
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By
Billy Parker
Published Jul 4, 2009
Modified Jul 4, 2009
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Joey Chestnut is now well on his way to a Kobayashi-like dynasty after winning his third consecutive Nathan's Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest. Chestnut jumped out to an early lead on his archrival Takeru Kobayashi and never looked back on his way to a new record of 68 hot dogs in 10 minutes. Kobayashi did everything he could to hold pace with Joey Jaws, setting his own personal record with 64 1/2 dogs—both men eclipsing the mark of 59 they both hit to send them into overtime a year ago. Chestnut even broke the 2007 record of 66 dogs that he set back when the old rules gave competitors an extra two minutes in regulation.
Immediately after, Chestnut said, "After the second minute, I knew my body was cooperating and it would be tough to beat me." The Shea brothers, George and Kevin, were armed with their usual arsenal of one-liners as they broadcast the event from the stage and announcer's booth respectively. As soon as the final buzzer rang, Kevin Shea said, "I don't moisturize and I don't watch Gossip Girl, but I'm very emotional right now."
You knew that the contest was going to live up to its reputation for being a wild and colorful affair early on when we saw Tim "Gravy" Brown arrive armed with a good luck charm of a painting titled "Believe" inspired by a vision he had of riding into the contest on a unicorn while gnawing on a turkey leg. Patrick Bertoletti, who finished in thrid with an impressive 55 dogs downed, once again set the bar for style points, ditching his Mohawk and purple suit for a look that appeared to be an homage to the cops portrayed by the Beastie Boys in the "Sabotage" video. And of course, no one takes competitive eating with quite the gravitas as Kobayashi, this year arriving with a Nathan's t-shirt that had been signed by various Olympic medalists from Japan.
But once again, Chestnut skipped flare for ferociousness, finishing franks fast and furiously. It would be difficult for anyone to look pretty while scarfing down almost seven dogs a minute, but Chestnut truly lets it all hang out on his quest to become "the Bill Belichick of the belly" as Kevin Shea deemed after today's victory. Chestnut was hardly modest after, saying he thought he could reach 70, but "the buns were going down slow today." Hold onto that while you can, Joe.
Tagged
Competitive Eating
coney island
george shea
hot dog eating contest
joey chestnut
kevin shea
patrick bertoletti
takeru kobayashi
tim gravy brown
Billy Parker
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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