Could a Bay Stater win the championship belt at the legendary Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest?

With world record holder Joey Chestnut out this year, the door is open for a new champion – it could be Massachusetts-based Geoffrey Esper.

The 49-year-old Oxford man, who finished second last year, is one of the favorites for the legendary July 4th competition.

“Now I have a chance at the belt,” Esper told the Herald before Thursday’s competition.

“It's still not going to be easy,” he added. “There are three other guys who are all pretty close, so it's going to be very close.”

The annual Nathan's Famous International Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Championship, an American holiday tradition, is held at the iconic Nathan's Famous flagship restaurant on the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues in Coney Island.

Last year, Chestnut won the 10-minute all-you-can-eat contest, his 16th victory, with 62 hot dogs and buns. Chestnut's world record is 76 hot dogs and buns.

But Chestnut will not be competing this year after signing a deal with a rival brand, meaning Esper, whose personal record is 51 hot dogs and buns, could win the top prize.

“It just depends on who has a really good day and then we'll see what happens,” said Esper, who teaches electronics at Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School in Charlton.

“I'm just going to go out and try to do my best,” he added.

The women's competition begins at 11 a.m. on Thursday and the men's competition starts at 12:30 p.m. Nathan's Famous will also make its annual donation of 100,000 Nathan's Famous hot dogs to the Food Bank for New York City in advance of the event.

“Nathan's Famous International Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest is the ultimate American holiday tradition,” said Phil McCann, vice president of marketing for Nathan's Famous. “Every year, thousands of fans come to our Nathan's Flagship at Surf and Stillwell to witness history being made.”

Thousands travel to Surf and Stillwell Avenues in Coney Island each year to witness the event in person. According to the Major League Eating archives, the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Championship has been held every July 4th in Coney Island since 1916.

“Nathan's famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest has transformed America's Independence Day into an international affair,” said George Shea, chairman of Major League Eating. “The best eaters from around the world will once again gather at Coney Island to compete for the honor of their respective nations.”