Competitive Eater Kobayashi Judges As Plymouth Man Wins 'American Coney Island' Contest
DETROIT (WWJ) -- There were celebrity judges, 30 participants and a whole lot of hot dogs as American Coney Island held its annual Coney Dog Eating contest in downtown Detroit on Thursday.
The eaters had to devour as many dogs as they were able in ten minutes -- complete with buns, chili, mustard and onions. Even judge and world-renowned competitive eater Takeru Kobayashi was impressed by the trays laden with Coney dogs.
This year's winner was Matt Howicki of Plymouth, who consumed 17 coney dogs and smashed the old record of 10 and a half.
"The couple that I did taste were incredible, they're good dogs," Howicki said. "It's just me and the food, that's it. It's all about speed -- I come out fast and just try to keep that pace up as best as I can.
"I'm going to have to do some serious working out the next couple of days to lose that," Howicki said after the contest was over.
Howicki's daughter Kathy said that her father goes through some "brain training" to get ready for contests.
"He listens to a lot of music before he does it," Howicki said. "He kind of gets into his own little world kind of thing."