Original guitarist and songwriter for 38 Special, Jeff Carlisi joins The Hold On Bruce Lees for a special performance at the Krystal Square Off VI World Hamburger Eating Championship.
Not only is Krystal bringing one of the biggest and best competitive eating events to Chattanooga, but they are also hosting a day-long celebration to help usher it in, complete with live music, food, and Krystal giveaways. Featured on the main stage will be The Hold On Bruce Lees showcasing Jeff Carlisi, the original guitarist and songwriter for the classic rock band 38 Special and member of the Krystal Lovers Hall of Fame. Carlisi will join the band for this special performance to help kick off the Krystal Square Off VI World Hamburger Eating Championship Sunday, Sept. 27 at Ross’s Landing Amphitheater.
The Hold On Bruce Lees are most well-known for their 38 Special cover songs, which are a tribute to the band’s more than five platinum-selling albums and most well-known hits such as “Caught Up In You”, “Back Where You Belong” and “Hold On Loosely.” Also self-proclaimed as the most shape-shifting-est band in Atlanta, The Hold On Bruce Lees’ many aliases include Y O U, which was deemed one of Rolling Stone Magazine’s Top 25 Bands on Myspace, and Limozeen, who played on two tracks for Guitar Hero. The band’s members have collaborated with players from Night Ranger, Skid Row, Starship, Survivor, Shawn Mullins, Zac Brown Band, Marshall Tucker Band and the Brand New Immortals.
The performance by Jeff Carlisi and The Hold On Bruce Lees will help kick off the official “KrystalFest” tailgating party and opening ceremony in honor of the sixth annual Krystal Square Off World Hamburger Eating Championship. As always, the event is free and open to the public. In addition to rocking out at the Chattanooga Green and Ross’s Landing Amphitheater, other entertainment includes live carnival games; kid’s activities; the Boat Parade of Eaters; Autograph Alley, where fans can get the John Hancock of their favorite competitive eating stars; Krystal’s fourth annual amateur eating contest, the Sackful Challenge; free Krystal Burgers and Krystal Blitz energy drink giveaways and much more.
The excitement all leads up to the world-famous Krystal Square Off Championship, which airs live on SportSouth starting at 2 p.m. EST. The eight-minute Krystal Hamburger eating contest is the only world hamburger eating championship sanctioned by Major League Eating, the official governing body of all stomach centric sports. This year’s championship features a $50,000 cash prize purse, the largest in the history of competitive eating.
See the video below of 38 Special’s Jeff Carlisi performing “Hold On Loosely” at a music clinic in Texas.
Erik Denmark stands next to a very happy Sonya Thomas, who basks in the glory of winning first place at the Krystal Square Off VI San Antonio Qualifier.
At the Krystal Square Off VI San Antonio Qualifier this past Saturday, the number-one ranked female eater in the world Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas lived up to her nickname, easily disposing of her male competition by devouring five Big Angus Burgers and 39 Krystal Burgers in eight minutes for a total of 64 Krystal Burger Points. Watch the video below to see Thomas dominate over the field of contestants, including a host of local San Antonio amateurs and eating pro Erik “The Red” Denmark, who took second place with 55 Krystal Burger Points.
Thomas is one of the few eaters to compete in all six years of the Krystal Square Off, and her win in San Antonio secured her a seat at the finals in Chattanooga on Sept. 27, where she’ll battle it out for a piece of the $50,000 cash prize.
Sonya Thomas hopes to make a come back at the Krystal Square Off VI San Antonio Qualifier with a better performance than seen here in Jacksonville last year.
Well known to Krystal Lovers all across the South, The Krystal Square Off VI World Hamburger Eating Championship is spreading the excitement to its fans in Texas by hosting one of its seven Qualifying events in the great city of San Antonio this Saturday. And to introduce KSO VI to San Antonians, Krystal will kick things off on Friday prior to the main event with a series of Pre-Qualifiers that are exclusive to the San Antonio market.
Check out the details below…
The Krystal Square Off VI Pre-Qualifying Event on Friday, August 28 will include a series of 2-minute eating contests that give amateur hopefuls the chance to compete in the main San Antonio Qualifier at Six Flags Fiesta Texas on Saturday, Aug. 29. Local Krystal Lovers will eat one Big Angus Burger and as many Famous Krystal Burgers as possible in order to win, while adhering to the new Big Angus Burger Points and “No-Dunking” rule (click here to read more about new rule changes). The top two eaters of the night will be guaranteed a spot at the San Antonio Qualifying event and the chance to go up against competitive eaters Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas and Erik “The Red” Denmark.
Krystal Lovers must be 18 years and older to participate in the KSO VI Pre-Qualifiers, which are set to take place Friday, August 28 from 5 – 8 p.m. at the Krystal Restaurant located at 7953 Pat Booker Rd., San Antonio, TX 78233.
Stay tuned for more information about the main Krystal Square Off San Antonio Qualifier, where there will be even more opportunities for amateur contenders to show off their gustatory might and battle for a spot at the main table in downtown Chattanooga on Sept. 27.
Follow @ksquareoff on Twitter for the most up-to-date Krystal Square Off news.
Bertoletti stands proud after the Chattanooga Qualifier with his new trophy and impressive 67 Krystal Burger Point Total.
The August heat always makes for a challenging competition, but Patrick Bertoletti managed to fight through the sweat and come out ahead with a total of 67 Krystal Burger Points (42 Krystals and 5 Big Angus Burgers in 8 minutes). Who knows, maybe it was Bertoletti’s combination of water and the Krystal Blitz Energy Drink that gave him that fighting edge to put him on top. Do we see a new permanent “red drink” in his future?
Based on his final words in the video below, we think this performance was just the confidence boost he needed to give Joey Chestnut a run for his money at the championship. After all, no one knows how the new rules will affect the other eaters, but for now, Bertoletti can breath easy knowing his Qualifying score was enough to secure a seat at the final table. And although being first to compete in the Qualifying rounds has its drawbacks, it also has a few perks. One of those being that Bertoletti will have the opportunity to examine each of the pros’ eating strategies as they try to match or beat his five Big Angus Burgers and 42 Krystals in eight minutes. It will definitely be the most compelling and exciting KSO seasons yet.
To see Bertoletti in action, check out the video below.
For more coverage on the Chattanooga Qualifier this past Saturday, click to read the following links:
Patrick Bertoletti (center) says it's time for Joey Chestnut (right) to be "taken down a few pegs."
We caught up with Patrick “Deep Dish” Bertoletti just before he makes his trip to Chattanooga for the first qualifier of the Krystal Square Off VI World Hamburger Eating Championship.
Here’s what the mohawked maverick of mastication had to say about the new rules, his training and who he thinks will have an advantage this year and who will suffer.
How have you been training for the Chattanooga Qualifier?
I really haven’t done any preparation for this contest. I find that I get too excited too early, and I use up all my reserves, peaking too soon. I still hope to put up a big number.
Are you glad you get to go first? Is it good or bad from a strategic level? Or does it only matter that you win and get a seat at the championship?
I don’t take qualifiers lightly. I have never done just enough to win; it’s perfect training for the finals. It’s not great to go first because it gives people a number to shoot for. It’s a lot easier to focus when there is a number to beat. Hopefully I can put up a high enough number that will set me near the center.
What are your expectations/predictions for the kick off Qualifier? Do you have any goals set for this Saturday?
I have never eaten Krystals dry so I really have no idea what the numbers will be. I am really excited about the challenge.
Jacksonville's hometown champion will compete once again in the Krystal Square Off to earn a seat next to reigning title holder, Joey Chestnut, in downtown Chattanooga on Sept. 27
No surprise here.
Hall “Hoover” Hunt, the seventh-ranked eater in the world and a Krystal Lover Hall of Fame member, will once again seek his spot at the Krystal Square Off VI World Hamburger Eating Championship by competing in the Jacksonville, Fla. Qualifier this Labor Day.
The Jacksonville native, who placed sixth at the final table of Krystal Square Off V with 63 Krystals in eight minutes, will seek to repeat as the hometown champion when the 8-minute qualifying event is held on Monday, Sept. 7 at the Jacksonville Landing. Hunt won last year’s Jacksonville Qualifier in convincing fashion with 60 Krystals in 8-minutes, out-chomping Sonya Thomas and eclipsing Joey Chestnut’s previous Jacksonville record of 52 Krystals set in 2006.
This year, Hunt may not have to contend with the likes of Sonya Thomas on his hometown turf but he will have to tackle both the famous Krystal Burger and the new Big Angus Burgers while adhering to the new “No Dunking” policy. His “academic” approach to eating and the new rules could give him the competitive advantage he needs to dominate his fellow eaters and push him into the Top 5 at the Krystal Square Off VI Championship.
Open registration for amateur contenders will begin at 1 p.m. at the Jacksonville Landing, where five hopefuls will be chosen “on-the-spot” to compete against Hunt in the eight-minute event and earn a seat at the finals next to the world’s number one ranked eater Joey Chestnut. The Jacksonville Qualifier will commence shortly after at 2 p.m.
For more information on the New Rules, watch the Krystal Square Off VI video here.
Crazy Legs Conti is one of the stars of the new docudrama "I'm A Major League Eater."
A new competitive eating docudrama featuring many of the biggest names from past Krystal Square Off seasons is set to air tomorrow night at 10 p.m. EST on the BIO Channel.
Titled “I’m a Major League Eater,” the show promises to give a behind-the-scenes look into what it takes to prepare for a major league eating contest.
Check out the “I’m a Major League Eater” trailer below featuring some of the sport’s top eaters including: Juliet Lee of Maryland, Gravy Brown of Chicago, Eater X Janus of NYC and his roommate Crazy Legs Conti. And as always, stay tuned here for all your Square Off news.
The lobby of the Sheraton Read House hotel in Chattanooga, TN, is a hive of activity at the moment as competitive eaters start working their way down to catch a shuttle to Ross’s Landing for the Krystal Square Off V. While hanging around, the eaters have found some time to get in some last minute preparations and media opportunities.
We spotted Humble Bob Shoudt out in the lobby giving a quick interview. Juris Shibayama was mingling with friends and family, and Pat Bertoletti was seen in Starbucks filling up his cooler with boiling water, which he hopes will be the perfect dipping temperature by the time he gets up on stage in about three hours.
All the eaters had to have their stage needs in their bins by 11:45, so what is done is done at this moment. The shuttle leaves at 12:15 to ferry the eaters down to the where they will meet up with the grand entrance cavalcade, the details of which still remain secret.
The KSO blog crew will be on hand to reveal the secret of the eater’s grand entrance and to provide posts and instant Twitter updates throughout this afternoon as we get closer to the big event. So, stay tuned and make sure to bookmark us and come back often.
“The Black Widow” is one of the sport’s all-time greats, and on paper, she has the edge over Hoover in both experience and numbers. She’s one of a few eaters who has competed all four years of the Krystal Square Off and she has never lost a qualifier. Her personal best at Krystals is 62, which she did back in 2006. Her lowest tallies were 42 and 46, which she did at the 2004 Chattanooga Qualifier and 2004 finals, respectively. Since then she’s been over the 50 mark at every contest, averaging just above 53 Krystals lifetime. Most recently, she qualified for last year’s World Championship by downing 51 Krystals and went on to eat 58 at the finals.
As for Hall, he missed the first year of the Krystal Square Off, but he more than made up for that absence by competing in three qualifiers in 2005 alone, each time improving upon his performance, going from 24 to 26 to 30. Looking at the EatFeats database, Hall has competed in a total of six Krystal Square Off qualifiers in addition to his three final appearances over the past three years, so he actually has an edge over Thomas on the number of times he’s handled Krystals. That experience has helped him make considerable strides over the years. Last year he took down the Jacksonville Qualifier by wolfing down 49 Krystals and he went on to gobble up 51 at the finals to finish in 7th place.
In addition to steadily improving at every contest, another plus for Hall this Labor Day will be crowd support. He’s a Jacksonville local and the steady roar of “Hoover…Hoover…Hoover” from the audience may give him the extra edge needed to propel him to victory.
Finally, Hall lives in Krystal country with Jacksonville one of the fast food icon’s biggest markets, so he has plenty of opportunities to train. Thomas, on the other hand, is a few hundred miles away from the nearest Krystal, and as stated the other day, she hasn’t been practicing. So the first Krystal to her mouth since last year’s final will likely be the one she eats when the 8-minute clock starts on Monday.
So who do you think has the edge? And what numbers do you think these two eaters will put up?
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Humble Bob Shoudt said yesterday that it will take more than 120 Krystals in eight minutes to win this year’s Krystal Square Off World Hamburger Eating Championship.
Today, in front of a large crowd on the Riverfront in Chattanooga, it only took 58 Krystals–less than half that amount–for the 40-year-old competitive eating pro to earn his seat at the final table this Sept. 28, where he’ll compete for the $50,000 total cash purse and attempt to dethrone Joey Chestnut as the King of the Krystal.
Despite earning him the win and berth in the final, Shoudt’s mark of 58 Krystals at the Chattanooga Qualifier today was no doubt disappointing. Shoudt, the number five ranked eater in the world, ate 95 Krystals at last year’s championship, and he wanted to set a big number early this year to give other eaters something to chew on over the next five weeks. And at the very least, he wanted to break Sonya Thomas‘ Chattanooga Qualifier record of 62 Krystals, which she set back at the 2006 event.
We spoke with Shoudt moments after finishing, and he didn’t hide his disappointment. “I feel like I am about to pass out, not from the food, just so lightheaded today,” said Shoudt, who confided that he hadn’t eaten anything over the past three days. “I’m so disappointed today. It’s the first time I didn’t improve my numbers with Krystal. I’m looking forward to coming back to finals.”
While Shoudt wasn’t pleased with his number today, the rest of the field seemed content finishing in the big man’s shadow, even if they did eat less than half his amount. Finishing in second was Larry “The Legend” McNeil, with 28 Krystals, and in third was young gun Rick Petralia, of New York, who ate 20 Krystals. Super Paul Barlow, dressed in Army camouflage as a tribute to a friend who has served three times in Iraq, finished in 5th place with 18 Krystals.
Here are the full results from today:
1. “Humble” Bob Shoudt – 58
2. Larry McNeil – 28
3. Rick Petralia – 20
4. Steve Spinosa – 19
5. Super Paul Barlow – 18
5. Brian Smith – 18
7. Michael Weber – 15
8. Rick Schumacher – 14
8. Mike Nafziger – 14
10. Ryan Gayden – 13
11. Larry Patterson – 10
11. Craig Cheatham – 10
The next qualifier for Krystal Square Off V takes place Labor Day, Sept. 1, in Jacksonville, Fla. on the Landing. Among the eaters already confirmed for the contest include Hall “Hoover” Hunt and The Hangman, and it looks like The Black Widow is in fact going to show up in J-ville to challenge the boys for a seat at the finals.
Stay tuned for more coverage from today’s event, including videos and photos, and for info on the remaining qualifiers, go here.
