Sam Hornish tackles “The Beast” at Hollywood Casino

NASCAR driver Sam Hornish Jr., who was in town today to promote the upcoming Hollywood Casino 400 and Kansas Lottery 300, had a plan in mind when he challenged four lucky fans to conquer “The Beast”.

“The Beast,” which consists of a two-pound ground beef burger and is complemented by a half-pound of BBQ pulled pork, 10 slices of cheddar cheese, a full head of lettuce, two sliced tomatoes, one sliced onion, one sliced jumbo pickle and a pound of fries on the side, was a daunting foe for the group but the person that ate the most in the 15-minute competition would win tickets see Hornish race in the Hollywood Casino 400.

Hornish’s plan – concentrate on eating the densest parts of the five and a half pound challenge first. And the plan almost worked for Hornish, who ate one pound 12 ounces, as he finished second to professional eater Randy Santel, who actually went on to finish the actual Beast challenge in 21 minutes (Challengers are given an hour to conquer the Beast). Here’s how the remaining challengers “weighed in” on the challenge – Hugh, one pound, seven ounces; Phil, one pound, nine ounces and the “other” Sam, one pound, two ounces.

In addition to the Challenge, Hornish also got his first look at the newly reconfigured Kansas Speedway.

“I’ve always liked Kansas,” said Hornish, who has a win in the IndyCar Series at Kansas Speedway. “I’m looking forward to coming back here in a couple of weeks and seeing what the changes bring.”

Kansas Speedway PR