Joey Chestnut, a 16-time Nathan’s hot dog eating winner, is cramming training into the final week before the July 4 contest after a guilty plea in an April case—while Major League Eating says the incident won’t affect his spot.
On the final stretch toward Independence Day, Joey Chestnut was sitting down to work.
In a video posted as his Instagram feed moved fast. the 42-year-old champ sat in front of 10 hot dogs wearing a jersey from the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest. He introduced himself with the kind of matter-of-fact confidence that has fueled his legend: “Joey Chestnut here,” he said. “No. 1 competitive eater in the world, 17-time Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Champion. Today I’m eating 10 hot dogs as part of Nathan’s 250 hot dog challenge.” Then. mustard and onions went on. and he ate.
A week remains before the July 4 showdown at Coney Island in New York. Chestnut didn’t promise a new mark, but he left enough room for doubt to turn into hope. “A record could be made,” he told Sports Seriously by text message this month. The record he’s chasing is 76 hot dogs in the 10-minute contest, set in 2021.
His training grind comes with a legal cloud that briefly raised questions about whether he’d even be back on the board. On April 20, Chestnut pleaded guilty to one count of misdemeanor battery resulting in bodily injury, according to court records. The case stemmed from Chestnut slapping a man in the face at a bar near his home in Westfield. Indiana. records show.
The sentence was 180 days of probation, but he has no travel restrictions, according to Chestnut and his attorney. Major League Eating and Nathan’s plan to bring him back anyway. “This incident does not violate the organization’s code of conduct. as it occurred outside any organizational event or activity and was addressed by local authorities. ” George Shea. co-founder of Major League Eating. said in a statement.
There’s also the question of whether the body he trains with matches the target he wants to hit. Six months ago, Chestnut appeared to have lost his paunch and said he’d been working to keep his motivation sharp. “Coming up with a plan to be more fit so I can hit some records,” he said at the time.
At the same time, his schedule hasn’t gone quiet. Chestnut has continued promotional appearances in Knoxville, Tennessee; San Diego, California; Charlotte, North Carolina; and St. Paul, Minnesota.
For all the noise around records and routines, the calendar is still the main clock. One week from now. all of this—training. conditioning talk. and the legal aftermath that didn’t stop the return—will be measured the way it always is at Nathan’s: in 10 minutes. with hot dogs piling up in front of him.
A record is possible. The only thing left to find out is whether the plan worked quickly enough for July 4.
Joey Chestnut Nathan's hot dog eating contest Major League Eating July 4 Coney Island hot dog eating record 76 in 10 minutes misdemeanor battery probation Westfield Indiana
Wait so he pleaded guilty like… but still doing the dog thing? Wild.
I didn’t even know there was a “10-dog challenge” but the headline says it all. He slaps someone then is back eating mustard like nothing happened?? Also 76 in 10 minutes sounds fake or like they count wrong.
Probation with no travel restrictions is the part that gets me. So basically they’re like “cool cool go to New York and eat.” I’m not saying he can’t compete, but if he’s guilty then what’s the point of the whole legal thing.
Okay but the article says he pleaded guilty in April, and also says the incident won’t affect his spot. Like… doesn’t that mean it affected his spot at first? I’m confused lol. Also Westfield Indiana bar slap?? I thought he was all about food not fights. I’ll still watch though.