Kobayashi downs 68-1/2 hot dogs at competition to top Joey Chestnut

Takeru Kobayashi won another Fourth of July hot dog eating competition by downing 68-1/2 of the wieners and buns— even if he was three subway transfer stops from the Nathan's Hot Dog Contest being held on the Coney Island boardwalk.

Kobayashi won the inaugural Crif Dog Classic after downing 68-1/2 hot dogs in ten minutes under  sweltering temperatures.  He ate 68 off the plate but judges awarded the extra half after they saw that he finished a whole hot dog and left only part of a bun giving him the additional half.  Check the rule book folks.

Last Fourth of July, Kobayashi broke the world record by eating 69 hot dogs while competing against a simulcast of the Nathan's contest while on a rooftop bar in mid-town Manhattan.  This year Kobayashi kicked off the new event in Roberta's pizza restaurant garden in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn that attracted about 500 fans.

After word came in that Kobayashi's main rival Joey Chestnut had just won the Nathan's competition two hours earlier— tying Kobayashi's record with six Nathan's titles apiece—by eating 68 hot dogs in ten minutes, the Japanese star set out to top him against what could be considered a lesser bunch of competitors.  Even so, it looked like Kobayashi competed against himself and stole the thunder from Chestnut from an alternate location once again.

Under difficult circumstances— hot temps, a crowded stage and a hotter card flipper who didn't know how to flip (check the full video)— the popular Kobayashi didn't let his fans down.  The 34-year old Kobi may not have broken his own record but he said he was satisfied eating the most hot dogs in ten minutes once again— either here or at Coney Island.

The Crif Dog Classic was created just to give Kobayashi a place to compete after he was banned from the Nathan's contest due to his refusal to sign an exclusive contract to participate.  Kobayashi waddled away with $15,000 at the Crif while Chestnut took home $10,000 at the Nathan's  contest.

Nathan's will not comment on Kobayashi or honor his hot dog eating achievements and records.

The new competition wouldn't have any relevance if it weren't for the presence of Kobayashi and Nathan's loses a lot of credibility without him.

After his overwhelming victory— second place went to a woman who ate 31 Bushwick Barkers— Kobayashi said he had trained for the event by expanding his stomach. "I drank three gallons of water in 10 minutes to stretch it out," he said while lifting his shirt to show off the 18 extra pounds he had just gained.

"I was only expecting to eat 55 hot dogs today, so I'm not disappointed," said Kobi as he pushed out his bloated stomach.

Maybe one of these quirky contests can get both Kobayashi and Chestnut at the same table one day.  Until then, there will always be an * next to their numbers.

SEE FULL 10 MINUTE VIDEO

Kobayashi headed to new Fourth of July hot dog eating competition

Takeru Kobayashi may not be competing in the world-famous Nathan's Annual Hot Dog Eating Contest on Coney Island, but that doesn't mean he still won't be in Brooklyn trying to top his world record at another tube steak eating competition this Fourth of July.

Kobayashi has formed his own competition this year after contract disputes and restrictions kept him out of the last two Nathan's competitions.  Throw in an arrest for crashing the 2010 event and you have all the makings of a mustard covered rivalry.

On Wednesday, the 34-year old Kobayashi and ten other world-class competitive eaters will challenge the world record at the inaugural 2012 Crif Dog Classic in that newest hipster-enclave Bushwick, Brooklyn— about six subway transfers from the boardwalk.

Last July Fourth, Kobayashi competed independently against only the clock and a simulcast of the Nathan's contest at a rooftop bar in Mid-town Manhattan.  He set a new world record by downing 69 hot dogs in front of two judges and hopes to top that by downing even more Bushwick Barkers this year.

The diminutive Kobayashi held the hot dog eating world record for almost six years before Joey Chestnut became the new champ in 2007.  Chestnut— the five-time champion of the Nathan's competition— still doesn't give credit to Kobayashi for breaking his record of 68 last year and sounded bitter after Kobi claimed the record as his own.

"I think even Kobayashi  would agree that the record still stands at 68," said Chestnut.  "And if he wants to compete with me on the Fourth of July, he knows what he has to do: sign a simple agreement and man up."

It starting to sound like the old AFL upstarts showing up the NFL.

Did I hear the words Super Bowl of Hot Dog Eating.