Kicker - A pandemic-proof July 4th tradition

NICK EICHER, HOST: While professional team sports hope to resume next month, NASCAR and the UFC have already returned.

And in a couple of weeks, you’ll be able to add one more to that list. 

Competitors are currently training for a July 4th showdown, when they’ll push their bodies to the absolute limit.

All eyes will be on a 12-time champion. He’s heard here with an ESPN reporter after nearly setting a new world record last July.

AUDIO:You came out of the gates at an incredible pace but started to slow around the fifth minute. What slowed you down? 

Yeah, I came out fast and then I slowed down faster than I would have liked. I tried to adjust and tried to chew more, make it easier to make it easier on my throat to swallow them. But I was just slowing down. I don’t know if it was the heat or what.

With all the talk of chewing and swallowing, you’ve probably guessed by now that was Joey Chestnut—world champion hot-dog eater after downing 71 dogs in 10 minutes at last year’s Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest!

The reigning women’s champ, Miki Sudo will also defend her title.

It’s The World and Everything in It.

(AP Photo/Sarah Stier) Joey Chestnut stuffs his mouth with hot dogs during the men’s competition of Nathan’s Famous July Fourth hot dog eating contest, Thursday, July 4, 2019, in New York’s Coney Island. 

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