Hot Dogs Steal the Show at Alburtis Park

Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi have little to fear after yesterday.

Their world dominance in hot-dog eating competitions is still safe despite spirited efforts Aug. 19 at the Second-Annual Hot Dog Eating Contest at Alburtis Park.

No one approached the 68 hot dogs and buns that Chestnut ate to win this year's event at Coney Island, but Rodney Druckenmiller of Emmaus led the field of eight yesterday by downing eight dogs and buns in the 10 minutes allotted.

Park operator Jack Stull now offers the event once a summer as a fun, alternative activity. Stull was quite the showman as he encouraged participants to come forward, enticing while waving a hot dog.

It was that kind of jovial banter and just the nature of the gluttony that kept the crowd and contestants alike laughing and having a good time.

Several of the contestants remarked afterward that the event looks much easier than it is and were surprised how relatively few hot dogs they actually ate.

But it was Druckenmiller -- who admitted he hadn't come to the park expecting to participate -- who walked away with the $100 prize.