Montauk Pioneer - September 5, 2008 -

It only happens once a year in Montauk. About a hundred people gather in the parking lot of Gosman's Restaurant, to watch some contestants eat as many hot dogs as they can possibly force down their stomachs. Without getting sick.

This year, in the 11th season of the famous Paddy Wagon of Montauk-a hot dog wagon that sits at the water's edge of this parking lot there were eight contestants up for the challenge. They stood behind a table about ten feet long, which was roped off so the crowds would not interfere with their ability to perform the difficult task of downing dawgs. At the mark of "Ready, set, GO!" they started shoving hot dogs in rolls down their throats, as fast as they could gobble them up.

"For this contest, we serve them plain," said John Savoca, owner of the Paddy Wagon, who is known for his famous homemade onion relish, sauerkraut, and chili on the regular dogs people buy each day, when they're not consuming a truckload during this contest.

In the end, the winner of this year's contest, for the third time, was Montauk's own David Rutkowski, whose family has long owned John's Drive-In and also the Montauk Movie Theater. This year, Dave, who is an in-shape kind of guy, ate a record 14 hot dogs.

Rutkowski, who was accompanied by his son and daughter, said, "I wanted to beat the former record of 13." When asked if he felt ill, after all that gulping, he shrugged," No-if I had eaten only six dogs and lost, I would've felt sicker than eating 14 and winning."

When asked if he put mustard or ketchup on his hot dogs, he said, "No, I ate'em straight up, and they're all in HERE (pointing to his surprisingly flat stomach). He proudly held up his winning prize of a blue and gold Sabbrett umbrella for the beach.

Our Montauk hot dog eating king has kept his crown once again. In the face of fierce competition, the man behind the movie theater in Montauk kept down his hot dogs in a record amount.

It can be completely confirmed that it is not luck that is keeping David as the champion, but pure eating skill and a strategy that has yet to be beaten.

Taking second place was another man named Dave, who ate 12 dogs, and winning third place were two brothers from New Jersey-Tom, who won last year, ate 11, and his brother Mike, in third place, ate 10 dogs. Janice Nessell, of Montauk, who also entered the contest, also has won three times in the past.

Theresa Lovallo, a Gosman's bartender who has judged this hot dog contest for the past eight years, said, "It was amazing to see David Rutkowski win for the third time, but they were not all consecutive. It was a great crowd this year, and we lucked out with the rain, which stopped just before the contest."

Gail Tooker drove over from her Ditch Plains trailer to see this contest. "I love it-it's so much fun!" she said.

Neal and his two friends from Connecticut had come over on their boat to eat some hot dogs, but when they saw the contest, they had to wait until it was over to get their lunch.

"We were disappointed to wait, as we were hungry for our favorite hot dogs," said Neal.

"I liked John's homemade onion sauce so much he gave me the recipe last year, and I also make it at home."

When asked why he gives out his secret recipes, John Savoca, who started his hot dog business after he retired from the restaurant business in Suffolk, said, "Why not-should I take it to my grave? I go through 500 pounds of onions a year here."

When asked how many hot dogs he goes through, he smiled, "That's a trade secret. But today, they were free."