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Bring your hearty appetites to the Bank of America 500
For you NASCAR fans who ever thought to forego your day job to become a competitive eater, here's your chance.
Be forewarned though, like an Olympic runner, it takes rigorous training. Devouring a record-setting 66 hotdogs in 12 minutes or 47 grilled cheese sandwiches in 10 minutes isn't for amateurs and certainly not trendy, portion-controlled dieters.
Now don't fret; Lowes Motor Speedway is providing you with a state-of-the art training facility and a trainer: Track president H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler.
On Tuesday, Wheeler and the world's No. 1 ranked competitive eater Joey "Jaws" Chestnut from California introduced the first-ever (in racing) All-You-Can-Eat Grandstand, a new concept where fans pay one price and eat 'til their belts burst at the upcoming Bank of America 500 on Oct. 13.
The menu, which is available an hour before the green flag drops and remains open for two hours after the green flag, consists of hamburgers, chips, popcorn, peanuts, soft drinks, water ... oh, and hotdogs, which is why Wheeler asked Chestnut to help kick off the new fan experience as Chestnut is the winner of the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest.
Before a small crowd of reporters at the speedway's Gate 4, Chestnut, in true chipmunk fashion, demonstrated his talents with Wheeler assisting.
The 23-year-old college student inhaled 10 hot dogs, with the buns, in 1 minute 13 seconds.
When the clock started, Wheeler dunked the first dog, and nine more after that, into a pitcher of water to make it easier for Chestnut to fit the food into his mouth and eventually down his hatch.
"I might need an armor glove," joked Wheeler as he pulled each soggy bun-wrapped hot dog from the pitcher of water. "Watch my fingers."
Meanwhile, Chestnut barely broke a sweat. In fact, he's bouncing side to side, as if to say 10 hotdogs in about a minute is child's play; a mere snack for a competitive eater like himself.
And perhaps it was considering Chestnut is the one who can eat 47 grilled cheese sandwiches in 10 minutes and is capable of drinking a gallon of milk in 41 seconds.
Got soup?
No, but plenty of barbeque. In the MLE, that's Major League Eating, Chestnut recently shattered the pulled pork barbeque sandwich record after eating 45 in 10 minutes.
Wheeler already told the "gurgitator" that he wasn't allowed to come to the All-You-Can-Eat Grandstand event at the Bank of America 500 because his palate and insatiable stomach might put the track prez out of business.
"We would definitely lose money on him," Wheeler laughed. "Sixty-six hot dogs at $3 each is almost $200."
The All-You-Can Eat Grandstand overlooks Turn 2 of the track and tickets start at $59 and go up to $99 depending on location. Much like a beer garden, fans are given a wrist band and for hours on end are able to "Feast with the Beast."
For you NASCAR fans who ever thought to forego your day job to become a competitive eater, here's your chance.
Be forewarned though, like an Olympic runner, it takes rigorous training. Devouring a record-setting 66 hotdogs in 12 minutes or 47 grilled cheese sandwiches in 10 minutes isn't for amateurs and certainly not trendy, portion-controlled dieters.
Now don't fret; Lowes Motor Speedway is providing you with a state-of-the art training facility and a trainer: Track president H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler.
On Tuesday, Wheeler and the world's No. 1 ranked competitive eater Joey "Jaws" Chestnut from California introduced the first-ever (in racing) All-You-Can-Eat Grandstand, a new concept where fans pay one price and eat 'til their belts burst at the upcoming Bank of America 500 on Oct. 13.
The menu, which is available an hour before the green flag drops and remains open for two hours after the green flag, consists of hamburgers, chips, popcorn, peanuts, soft drinks, water ... oh, and hotdogs, which is why Wheeler asked Chestnut to help kick off the new fan experience as Chestnut is the winner of the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest.
Before a small crowd of reporters at the speedway's Gate 4, Chestnut, in true chipmunk fashion, demonstrated his talents with Wheeler assisting.
The 23-year-old college student inhaled 10 hot dogs, with the buns, in 1 minute 13 seconds.
When the clock started, Wheeler dunked the first dog, and nine more after that, into a pitcher of water to make it easier for Chestnut to fit the food into his mouth and eventually down his hatch.
"I might need an armor glove," joked Wheeler as he pulled each soggy bun-wrapped hot dog from the pitcher of water. "Watch my fingers."
Meanwhile, Chestnut barely broke a sweat. In fact, he's bouncing side to side, as if to say 10 hotdogs in about a minute is child's play; a mere snack for a competitive eater like himself.
And perhaps it was considering Chestnut is the one who can eat 47 grilled cheese sandwiches in 10 minutes and is capable of drinking a gallon of milk in 41 seconds.
Got soup?
No, but plenty of barbeque. In the MLE, that's Major League Eating, Chestnut recently shattered the pulled pork barbeque sandwich record after eating 45 in 10 minutes.
Wheeler already told the "gurgitator" that he wasn't allowed to come to the All-You-Can-Eat Grandstand event at the Bank of America 500 because his palate and insatiable stomach might put the track prez out of business.
"We would definitely lose money on him," Wheeler laughed. "Sixty-six hot dogs at $3 each is almost $200."
The All-You-Can Eat Grandstand overlooks Turn 2 of the track and tickets start at $59 and go up to $99 depending on location. Much like a beer garden, fans are given a wrist band and for hours on end are able to "Feast with the Beast."