Top dog! Joey Chestnut wins 4th of July Nathans Hot Dog Eating Contest

He’s the top dog for a reason.Bottomless pit Joey Chestnut once again took home the crown at the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest Saturday afternoon, celebrating the 250th birthday of America with relish.Chestnut, 41, scarfed down a nauseating 66 glizzies in 10 minutes to the delight of a ravenous estimated 25,000 spectator crowd in Coney Island to secure his astounding 18th Mustard Belt and $10,000 prize.Those 66 pale in comparison to his own record of 76 franks he set at the competition in 2021.This morning, he told “Good Morning America,” that he was “feeling good” before the competition.“I’m hungry, and it’s a beautiful day.

This is going to be a great Fourth of July,” he added.This week, he called competitive eating “the most patriotic sport we’ve got,” in an Instagram post, where a fan replied, calling him “an American treasure.”“Joey gotta get a record for the 250,” another of Chestnut’s supporters said.“When i said I’m proud to be an American this is what I’m referring to,” someone else gushed.The dogs might’ve tasted sweeter than normal this year for Chestnut — who pleaded guilty in April to a misdemeanor battery charge for getting involved in a bar altercation.The then-17-time champ struck a man with an open hand after the alleged victim just shook his hand in a fight he later told cops he was “pretty drunk” for and “didn’t remember,” according to court records.His guilty plea means he was still under probation as he cinched his 18th Mustard Belt win.It’s not the first time Chestnut’s personal beef overshadowed the Coney Island hot dog eating contest.The big-mouthed eater was banned from the 2024 contest over his deal with Impossible Foods, which had recently launched a plant-based hot dog.That allowed Patrick Bertoletti to eat his way to a win after scarfing down 58 dogs — becoming the first person since 2015 other than Chestnut to win the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Competition.Thomas Leible...