Shipley Do-Nuts receives visit from competitive eater

By LYNETTE SOWELL 

Cove Leader-Press 

Greg Wilson with Savage Eating paid a visit to Shipley Do-Nuts in Copperas Cove to see just how quickly he could eat a Texas-size doughnut on Wednesday morning. 

Shipley’s owner, Chhin Leng, measured the doughnut at 10 inches in diameter, and said it was roughly the equivalent of at least half a dozen doughnuts, including the holes. It took 30 minutes for the dough to proof and took about three minutes total to fry, much like other regular-size doughnuts cooked by the store. 

Wilson downed the doughnut with the assistance of some coffee, in 1:53. 

Ranked 46th according to Major League Eating, Wilson followed up by eating a braided long doughnut, in just under one minute. 

Wilson, based out of Austin, found Shipley in Cove and contacted the store about a doughnut eating challenge, said Chris Aschenbrenner, who manages the store’s social media. 

“He found us,” said Aschenbrenner.

This was Wilson’s 63rd food eating challenge, and he’s been competing and conquering challenges for about two years. He said he enjoys the variety of eating challenges that Texas offers. 

“Since I’ve been in Texas, it’s been nice. You guys have a lot of food challenges out here,” Wilson said. “I’ve got Amarillo, which I’m going to do,” he added, referring to the 72-ounce steak challenge at The Big Texan Steak Ranch. He said that wasn’t largest steak challenge in Texas, with a restaurant in Plantersville that’s 85 ounces. 

Wilson said the Shipley doughnut was “very, very good” and “very, very fresh.” He’s also had one of the famed Round Rock doughnuts, and described those as more of a cake type doughnut, and a bit denser, compared to Shipley’s yeast, glazed doughnut.

This isn’t Wilson’s first visit to Shipley in Copperas Cove. 

Prior to Thanksgiving, he stopped at Shipley to see just how fast he could down a dozen doughnuts. He clocked in at 1:52 and said at the time he hoped to do better than that. This time, he returned to eat a Texas-size doughnut. 

Wilson competed this fall in Lewisville, Texas, where he was at the Western Days Festival World Tamale Eating Championship eating competition, where he competed alongside the #1 in Major League Eating, Joey Chestnutt, who consumed 93 tamales in 10 minutes, with Chestnutt winning the $1,500 first place prize. Major League Eating is the professional organization that promotes many eating contests around the country, usually 60-80 per year. 

“The main reason I joined them, is everybody wants to do Nathan’s (hot dog challenge),” said Wilson. “ I didn’t realize they did so many contests across the country.” 

Last year, Wilson placed 5th at the World Hostess Donettes Eating Championship in Austin, where he ate 125 Donettes in six minutes.

Wilson said he also has successfully conquered the Waffle Cone Dawg Bowl Challenge in the past. His YouTube Channel is “Savage Eating.”