BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — At his second Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, Ronnie Hartman exceeded his own expectations. The Western New York resident and military veteran ate 29.5 hot dogs in just 10 minutes to finish 10th at Coney Island yesterday.
"Normally on the 4th of July, I do five or six less than what I do in a qualifier," Hartman said.
But Megabyte Ronnie ate half a hot dog more than he did at his qualifier. He set a new personal best at Coney Island on a stage that he had always dreamed of.
"This is the best day of the year," Hartman said. "Every year that I get to come back here and do this contest, it just means so much to me. I had a blast out there regardless of the result."
Hartman's top ten finish will only help his case in the Major League Eating rankings. He currently sits at 18th-- the highest he's ever been-- but his performance at Nathan's Hot Dog Eating contest should lead to a new personal best in the rankings, too.
