Chestnut woofs 66 hot dogs as he, Sudo defend

The Nathan's Famous hot dog eating contest marked the United States' 250th birthday with chomp and circumstance Saturday with a pair of defending champions reigning again on Coney Island. Record-holder Joey Chestnut took down 66 hot dogs to claim the Mustard Belt for the 18th time, while Miki Sudo downed 38.75 hot dogs for her record 12th victory. "I knew I was going to be able to get the win," Chestnut said, adding, "I've got so much room left." He didn't approach his record-setting 76 franks, acknowledging a heat wave may have played some role and that "there's room for improvement." The hot dog eat-off was held after an eventful year for the annual wiener showdown as well as Chestnut. Contest sponsor Nathan's Famous was sold in January to packaged meat giant Smithfield Foods. A few months later, Chestnut was accused of slapping a man in an Indiana bar and pleaded guilty in April to a misdemeanor battery charge. He is still on probation in the battery case but is allowed to travel outside Indiana. His lawyer has said that what happened in the bar was a misunderstanding and that Chestnut accepted responsibility for his actions. Hot dog contest organizer Major League Eating, which oversees the Nathan's Famous contest, said the criminal case didn't affect Chestnut's eligibility for the competition. Competitors consume as many hot dogs and buns as possible in 10 minutes, usually dunking the wieners in water first to make them easier to swallow. Sudo holds the women's record of 51 dogs. The event, which dates to 1972, is held in front of the original Nathan's Famous' restaurant in New York's Coney Island.