Location: West Springfield, MA
CHESTNUT DEFENDS WHITE HUT CHEESEBURG TITLE!
The Big E began back in 1916. Something about that year and its ties to competitive eating. Feels right. And Something about The Big E, White Hut and the O’Brien crew. Just feels right.
Saturday’s contest marked year three of the event and it was the most amazing White Hut Cheesburg Eating Championship yet. Geoff Esper stood between Joey Chestnut and Gideon The Truth Oji. But really, he was standing between Joey and a second White Hut belt. Esper set the pace and led most of the way. If not shock and awe, Esper inspired awe. The Oxford, MA, man was holding tough, two cheeseburgs at a time and two cheeseburgs ahead of Joey. It was around minute eight that Joey started to realize Esper wasn’t gonna wane.
For the final 90 seconds the two great competitors traded cheeseburg for cheeseburg. The enormous crowd cracking with each exchange. It was loud. Big E loud. While Esper put forth an amazing effort for his fellow Massachusetts residents, Joey was able to reach that extra gear that makes him the best eater of all time. In the end, Joey hoisted the belt.
Acclaim to Nick Wehry for downing 28 White Hut cheeseburgs and taking 3rd place. It was at The Big E last year when Nick first competed in the cheeseburg contest, his first MLE event. Kudos to all who competed, assisted and cheered. A new rap called Dear Prudence II was also unearthed. Wanna hear it? Watch this space.
Full results below.
FULL RESULTS! 1st- Joey Chestnut, 47 Cheeseburgs in 10 mins 2nd- Geoff Esper, 45 3rd- Nick Wehry, 28 4th- Gideon Oji, 26 5th- George Chiger, 21 6th- Badlands Booker, 16 7th- Darrien Thomas and Dud Lite Dudzinski, 15.5 9th- Wild Bill Myers, 11.5 10th- Rene Rovtar, 5 11th- Prudence DiBendetto, 4
This contest will take place at Noon Eastern on Saturday, September 15, 2018, on the XFINITY Court Of Honor Stage at The Big E, 1305 Memorial Ave, West Springfield, MA!
About The White Hut! The White Hut is a legendary Western Massachusetts burger joint. Since 1939, they’ve been serving up classic cheeseburgs topped with their signature fried onions—onions that are, in fact, grilled to perfection. It’s a family-run, no frills lunch counter beloved by local regulars and a must-eat destination for any burger lover visiting the area. No stop in Western Mass is complete without a burger at the Hut.
About Balise! Presenting sponsor Balise is one of the largest retailers of new and used automobiles in New England. Headquartered in West Springfield, Massachusetts, the organization employs over 1,400 associates at facilities in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. As a family-run business since 1919, it is a trusted institution in the area and a great contributor to the community.
About Darby O’Brien! Darby O’Brien is an independent, family-run, branding, design, advertising and public relations firm headquartered in South Hadley, Massachusetts. Starting in 1980, the same year Dutch Reagan took office, Darby's gut instincts and out-of-step creative strategies have led his tight-knit band of writers and designers through the creation and execution of countless out-of-step print, TV, web and political campaigns.
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*All applicants must be 18 years of age or older and fully acknowledge and understand the inherent dangers and risks associated with participating in an eating contest. The applicant further acknowledges and understands that the MLE/IFOCE coordinates with event sponsor(s) to select and approve eligible participants, and that the MLE/IFOCE shall decide, at its sole discretion, whether an applicant is eligible to participate in any eating event, and/or related activities. The MLE/IFOCE may revoke an applicant's eligibility to participate in the eating contest, or related activities, at any time, for any reason, at its sole discretion. The MLE/IFOCE and the event sponsors reserve the right, at any time, to change any and all details concerning the event, including, e.g., time, duration, location and prize structure.