Eating for the glory

By Corine Gatti The News Virginian
Published: July 26, 2008

STUARTS DRAFT — Contestants ate fast and furious on Saturday, looking to be crowned the Sweet Dreams festival’s hot dog eating champion.
Daniel Hansen, of Staunton, was hailed the new king, scouring five dogs in four-minutes.
Hansen placed third in the contest last year and sat with ease on stage before the event.
“It was tough, but you can’t get worked up,” Hansen said. “You just gotta stay calm and stay slow. I tried to keep my pace.”
Hansen was not worried about missing out on the title like last summer.
“I think the guy last year ate nine hot dogs,” Hansen laughed. “I came up here ready for the challenge, you can say.”
The table was laid out for contestants with condiments and pitchers of water to dunk hot dogs in for easier and faster consumption.
A couple people ended up as casualties and had to go to the “chuck bucket.”
“Yeah, some people did not make it,” grinned William Bartley. “Yeah, some definitely went down. I think the guy next to me did.”
Bartley came in second in the event, eating 4¼ dogs. He had no intention of taking the platform in front of a crowd sitting on bundles of hay. He made the sacrifice for his favorite fan.
“My little girl coerced me into doing the contest. I couldn’t say no to her,” Bartley said.
Waynesboro’s Rosco Harris held steady in the beginning of the event, but he was in it for more than a title.
“I’m in it for the free food,” Harris said bashfully. “I would do it again.”
For the newly crowned hot dog king, hot dogs are a passion even though the buns are sub par.
“The buns were dry last time, and they were again,” Hansen chuckled. “I’m looking forward to coming back next year, this is fun. That’s only if my wife lets me come back.”
The News Virginian staff writer Bob Stuart contributed to this report.