Joey Chestnut Wins Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest 2009

In doing so, Chestnut continued his dominance of his archrival, six-time titleholder Takeru Kobayashi, in Saturday’s action. Chestnut led throughout this year's Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.

In the 2008 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, Chestnut and Kobayashi finished tied, both with 59 dogs. That contest was settled with a 5-frank eat-off.

Showing that today might be a slow sports day (it really isn't), or rather, that hot dog eating contests are big deals, ESPN broadcast this year's Nathan's event live. Chestnut said:

"After the second minute I knew my body was cooperating."

The prize money in the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest 2009 is $20,000. At the same time Joey Chestnut will take home the "coveted" Mustard Belt.