Pat Bertoletti crowned hot dog eating champion amid Joey Chestnut’s absence
Written by oasis96.3 on July 4, 2024

(Fox Business) – The Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest has a new champion, as Pat Bertoletti ate 58 hot dogs on Thursday.
Bertoletti’s victory comes as Americans across the nation are celebrating Independence Day. Thousands of fans descended on Coney Island to watch competitive eaters wolf down as many hot dogs (and buns) as possible in a 10-minute time span during the contest.
However, this year’s slate of competitors was noticeably missing one high-profile contestant — 16-time champion Joey Chestnut.
He was reportedly barred from competing in this year’s event. Chestnut recently signed a deal with Impossible Foods, a rival of Nathan’s that has launched a vegan wiener, the New York Post reported.
Instead, he will compete against soldiers at a U.S. Army base in El Paso, Texas, beginning at 5 p.m. ET.
Chestnut’s absence left the traditional Brooklyn event wide open for a new winner in the men’s division, with eaters from around the world competing for the highly-coveted mustard belt.