He Came, He Conquered, He Ate 59 Hot Dogs

From Fox News;

A California man smashed the world record for hot dog eating at a contest Saturday, gobbling

up more than 59 franks in 12 minutes.

Joe Chestnut, 22, of San Jose, shattered the record held by Takeru Kobayashi of Japan by downing 59 1/2 "HBDs" — hot dogs and buns — during the Southwest Regional Hot Dog

Eating Championship at the Arizona Mills Mall in suburban Tempe.

Kobayashi's old record of 53 3/4 was set last year at Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog

Eating Contest, held at Coney Island in New York, said George Costos, who helps runs the

regional contests for Nathan's.

Chestnut placed second in last year's world championships, consuming 52 hot dogs.

"He's unbelievable — he just keeps on going," said Ryan Nerz, who works for Major League

Eating, which he describes as "a world governing board for all stomach-centric sports."

"These guys' numbers have just been going up at a tremendous clip," Nerz said. "I always

thought there was a limit — a limit to the human stomach and a limit to human willpower

— but guess not."

Chestnut won a free trip to New York, a year's supply of hot dogs and a $250 gift card to the

mall.