 Lifeguards have been on loudspeakers telling people to get back. Alex Stone, EBC News. Longtime champion of the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, Joey Chestnut, skipped this year's event but still managed to eat plenty of franks on the 4th. Competitive eater Joey Chestnut devoured the competition this year at Fort Bliss, Texas. He consumed 57 hot dogs in 5 minutes to beat out 4 U.S. service members who only managed to down 49 franks combined. Chestnut insists