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 Will Compete in Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest Via Satellite

Takeru Kobayashi won't be on the Coney Island boardwalk for this year's Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest but will compete from a distance via satellite TV.

Kobayashi, who can't compete because he refuses to sign an exclusive contract with organizer Major League Eating, says he will unofficially compete from a remote location to protest his ban from the Super Bowl of competitive eating.

Kobayashi still refuses to sign any exclusive contract with MLE and insists he will down hot dogs on July Fourth, simultaneously with the other competitors, in a mid-town Manhattan restaurant--a D train ride away from Nathan's.

Six-time champ Kobayashi was once the face of the sport and pretty much brought the Nathan's event to ESPN on his own.  The one-time Babe Ruth of the sport has now become an outcast and even had his image removed from the Nathan's Wall of Fame last April.  Even Al Capone's visit to Nathan's lives in infamy on it's website.

Last summer, Kobayashi, was unable to compete in the Nathan's FFJHDEC because Major League Eating's contract stipulates that he can only participate in it's tournaments and the league has to have total control over Kobayashi's endorsement deals.  He refused to sign.

"I hope to create awareness about the nature of this kind of business," said Kobayashi.  "At least they cannot erase history," he said of his removal from the Wall of Fame.

While Kobayashi becomes a sort of pariah in the sport he once dominated, the current champ, Joey Chestnut has been getting all the glory.

Chestnut, 27, realizes the event isn't the same without Kobayashi.

"He's an awesome eater," said Chestnut.  "He pushes me to work harder."

Some people are wondering if Kobayashi is making a big deal over nothing after setting a world record and personal-best of 64 1/2 downed barkers in 2009.

Some think Kobayashi is just losing his mind.

In 2010, while banned for the first time and watching the Nathan's competition from the crowd, Kobayashi leaped onto the stage in protest after Chestnut won and was arrested.  He spent the night in a New York City holding cell.  Charges were later dismissed.

This year's Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest will have a women only competition for the first time.

It's a shame Kobayashi and Chestnut won't meet again this year.  It's sort of a Pacquiao/Mayweather predicament in the world of competitive eating. There may be competitions against others, but if the two best don't meet, it doesn't really matter.