Hot dog eating champs seek to repeat in Nathan's Famous contest

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NEW YORK (AP) — The Nathan’s Famous hot dog eating contest marks the United States' 250th birthday with chomp and circumstance Saturday after an eventful year for the annual wiener showdown and one of its stars.

Contest sponsor Nathan's Famous was sold in January to packaged meat giant Smithfield Foods. A few months later, reigning men's champ and record-holder Joey Chestnut was accused of slapping a man in an Indiana bar and pleaded guilty in April to a misdemeanor battery charge.

But the frankfurter fest rolls on, with Chestnut and Miki Sudo set to defend last year's wins in the men's and women's divisions, respectively.

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 is an 11-time winner and holds the women's record of 51 dogs.

Chestnut has taken the so-called Mustard Belt 17 times and notched the men's record: 76 franks. He's 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.

The event, which dates to 1972, is held in front of the original Nathan’s Famous’ restaurant in New York’s Coney Island.