American Chestnut Sets Record, Crowned Hot Dog Champ

NEW YORK, July 4 -- In a gut-busting showdown that combined drama, daring and indigestion, Joey Chestnut emerged Wednesday as the world's hot-dog-eating champion, knocking off six-time winner Takeru Kobayashi in a record-setting triumph.

Chestnut, the great red-white-and-blue hope in the annual Fourth of July competition, broke his own world record by inhaling 66 hot dogs in 12 minutes -- a staggering one every 10.9 seconds -- before a screaming crowd in Coney Island.

"If I needed to eat another one right now, I could," the 23-year-old Californian said after receiving the mustard-yellow belt emblematic of supremacy in frankfurter consumption.

Kobayashi, the Japanese eating machine, recently had a wisdom tooth extracted and received chiropractic treatment for a sore jaw. But the winner of every Nathan's competition from 2001 to 2006 showed no ill effects as he stayed with Chestnut frank for frank until the very end of the competition.

Once the contest ended, the runner-up suffered a reversal -- competitive-eating-speak for barfing -- leading to a deduction from his final total. Kobayashi finished with 63 HDBs (hot dogs and buns eaten) in his best performance ever.

Competitors receive credit for anything in their mouths at the 12-minute mark, provided they can swallow it.

"Obviously, the last bit exited his mouth quite dramatically," said Rich Shea of the International Federation of Competitive Eating. Kobayashi's gastric distress was the only sour note in the tube-steak tussle, which aired on ESPN.

Kobayashi's previous best was 53 3/4 in the competition, which dates back to 1916. The all-time record before Wednesday's contest was Chestnut's 59 1/2 , set just last month in the Phoenix suburb of Tempe.

The two quickly distanced themselves from the rest of the 17 competitors, processing more beef than a slaughterhouse within the first few minutes. The two had each downed 60 hot dogs with 60 seconds to go when Chestnut -- the veins on his forehead extended -- put away the final franks to end Kobayashi's reign.

Kobayashi, through a translator, promised to return for the 2008 event.

The victory by the San Jose resident ended Japan's long dominance of the contest. The only previous non-Japanese winner since 1996 was New Jersey's Steve Keiner in 1999. Third place this year went to another American, Patrick Bertoletti of Chicago, with 49.

"This title's been held by Kobayashi for six years, so it's about time it came home," said Chestnut, holding an American flag in his arms. "I knew going into this contest that Kobayashi was going to give 100 percent."