update Apr 29 jmanr78 has a contest video

update Apr 26 Review Journal has a gallery

NYNY Casino has a press release about the contest

Results Part 1 | Part 2
1) Matt Stonie 48
2) Steve Hendry 27 – current wild card #2 (Dave Wood #1)
3) Rich LeFevre 26 – current wild card #3
4) Pablo Martinez 19
5T) Zack Frank 9
5T) Adrian Padilla 9
7) Brian Chung 8
8) Magnificent Ben 7

1W) Michelle Lesco 27.25
2W) Carlene LeFevre 14, women’s wild card leader

Crazy Legs Conti wrote a preview of the qualifier for the Huffington Post

The field appears to include Matt Stonie, Michelle Lesco, the LeFevres, Steve Hendry and Pablo Martinez. Joey Chestnut is present as a spectator.

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Matt Stonie has posted a video of a training session where he ate 59 hot dogs. If he can match that in tomorrow’s Nathan’s qualifier in Vegas, he would have a chance at breaking the all time qualifier of 59.5 hot dogs (in 12 minutes) set by Joey Chestnut in 2007. The high temperature tomorrow is predicted to be 73 with a chance of rain, which should facilitate high numbers.

In a recent Fink Beats the Stomach podcast, Michelle “Cardboard Shell” Lesco said she hoped to hit 35 hot dogs. This would be the all time non-Asian women’s Nathan’s record, which is still held by Molly Schuyler.

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Here are the current leaders for the men’s Nathan’s wild card

There were multiple women competing in Sunday’s Atlanta qualifier, so there should now be a women’s wild card leader, but it is not clear the female runner-up got her total recorded.

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update April 23 The WSB-TV segment is available on youtube

update April 17 Crazy Legs Conti has a Huffington Post report which is primarily a eulogy to “Little Jimmy”.

update April 16 News-Daily.com has an article about runner-up Gideon Oji who plans to compete next in the Charlotte qualifier in May.

WSBTV has an article and gallery.

update April 13 The contest page has been updated to lis Dee Martin as the female winner with 7 hot dogs

No female winner has been announced as of 5:20 pm eastern. Dee Martin was present, so presumably she was the victor. At least one other woman competed, so there will be a women’s wild card leader (if the female runner-up total was recorded).

The top 3 men:
1) Crazy Legs Conti 21
2) Gideon Oji 20
3) Damien Boykin 17

Paul Barlow will be competing in his first MLE contest in almost two years.

A picture of the entire field.

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Tracy “Mmm” Goode has an interview with Aaron “A Train” Osthoff and “Big” Brian Subich about their retirement from Major League Eating. Brian Subich announces that he plans to run for District Magistrate Judge in the future. They both advise prospective competitive eaters to focus on fun over earnings and would like to see more prize money allocated to lower finishers.

Osthoff and Subich are two of five eaters who have qualified multiple times for the Nathan’s finals and have recently left Major League Eating (or are competing in non-MLE events), which should open up some spots in the 2015 finals. (Osthoff also qualified for the 2012 finals and did not compete).

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The remainder of the 2015 Nathan’s qualifier circuit has been posted on majorleagueeating.com: update Registration will open March 19 at 1pm EDT for all qualifiers. Registration will also open for the May 17 Niko Niko gyros contest in Houston.

• April 12, Atlanta – Dogwood Festival
• April 25, Las Vegas – NY NY Hotel
• May 2, Houston, Memorial City Mall
• May 16, St. Louis, Busch Stadium
• May 23, Charlotte, Speed Street
• June 7, Pocono, PA – Pocono Raceway
• June 13, Nashville – Tootsie’s Country Music Fan Fest Alley
• June 14, Queens – NY Mets ballpark
• June 27, Rochester, NH – Phantom Gourmet BBQ
• June 28, Cleveland, Crocker Park
• June 28, Sonoma, CA Sonoma Raceway

The circuit is similar to the 2014 Spring schedule. Nashville and Atlanta have been added and Savannah, St. Paul and Bloomington, IL dropped. The contest held at the Phantom Gourmet BBQ moved with the festival from Boston to New Hampshire.

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update March 3 #2 Crazy Legs Conti has a preview for the Huffington Post.

update March 3 Plant City Observer has a contest report

Frankie has an instagram video

update TampaBay.com has a contest report claiming that Conti received an unspecified deduction for debris.

Full men’s results part 1 | part 2
1) Nate Biller 23
2) Crazy Legs Conti 22.75
3) Jose Azua 12
4) Jerry Whited 11
5) Mark Trombetta 8.5
6T) Yariel Vignau 8
6T) Yadiel Vignau 8
8) Matthew Germuth 6
9) Thomas Brown 3

Nate Biller has been announced as the male winner with a total of 23

Crazy Legs Conti had at least 21 according to this picture. Dave Wood has the men’s wild card lead with 27.5

Mary Bowers was the top female with 10

Crazy Legs Conti, Nate Biller and Mary Bowers are expected to compete.

TampaBay.com has a contest preview. The contest is expected to start at 6pm.

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Here is a list of dates from the 2015 NASCAR schedule for races that had Nathan’s qualifiers in 2014.

• May 24, Charlotte, NC Coca-Cola 600
• June 7, Long Pond, PA Axalta 400
• June 28, Sonoma, CA Toyota Save Mart 350
• August 16, Brooklyn, MI Pure Michigan 400

October 4, Dover DE AAA 400

Other possible qualifier dates

• June 7, St. Paul MN Grand Old Day
• June 20, Boston, MA Phantom Gourmet BBQ Beach Party

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update Oct 13 Joseph Cerulli has a video

update Oct 2 Berks County Eats has a contest report

update #2 Joseph Cerulli has a video

update Official results Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

1W) Juliet Lee 35

1M) Eric “Badlands” Booker 32
2) Dave Wood 27.5
3) Micah Collins 23
4) Eric “Steakbellie” Livingston 20
5) “Wild” Bill Myers 17
6) Mike Barton 16
7) Tony Colbert 10
8) Eric Senzer 8
9) Lee Bibb 5
10) Jim Holloway 3

I have yet to see any results for today’s Nathan’s qualifier in Dover, Delaware. According to this picture, Eric “Badlands” Booker had at least 32 and Juliet Lee had at least 28.

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update MLive has a contest report Freep.com also has an article

Results from George Shea
1) “Buffalo” Jim Reeves 19
2) “Jimineater” (Jimi Mares?) 12

1W) Daniella Gioia 15 – sole female

The first qualifier of the 2014-15 Nathan’s qualfier has started at Michigan International Speedway . Richard Petty is present. The 2014-15 Nathan’s circuit will start at Brooklyn, MI and finish in Brooklyn, NY.

I think 10 am eastern is the earliest starting time for a North American IFOCE/MLE contest (not counting the promotional contests on local TV).

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