SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – The announced “front-runner,” Chicagoan Pat Bertoletti (pictured, center), won the first Cozy Dog eating contest at the International Route 66 Mother Road Festival Saturday by eating 51 dogs in ten minutes.

Third-place winner was Jerome Burns of Danbry, Ct., with 25, and runner-up was Darrien Thomas of Toronto with 37.5. Some contestants did not even get into double digits.

Major League Eating put on the contest, sponsored by Cozy Dog Drive-in and Reisch Charities.

“I don’t chew a lot,” Bertoletti said after his victory. “It was a liability as a kid. I got yelled at, but I turned it into a talent. My twin sister entered me, and I was good at it, so I just kept doing it. It’s been twenty years.” And about any criticism that such contests are a waste of food? Bertoletti was ready for that question. “At Major League Eating, we donate to all the food banks, so we try to offset things like that.”