FREEPORT — Neil Sebree left the chicken wing bare in two chomps.
He barely gave himself time to swallow as he tossed the bones back into the to-go box and reached for the next wing covered in hot sauce.
The 31-year-old professional eater from Freeport doesn’t really have a style. He just eats, he said.
Sebree will compete in the Hooters World Wing Eating Championship Thursday in Clearwater, where he will have 10 minutes to finish off as many wings as possible.
Sebree will be pitted against the top three contestants from each of the championship’s five qualifying circuits in the United States. Joey Chestnut, who is most famous for his performances at Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest,also will compete.
It will be Sebree's second professional eating competition.
He won two ghost chili hot wings contests at Landshark’s Pizza Co. in Destin earlier this year. He finished off 10 wings slathered in sauce made from the world’s second-hottest pepper in 2 minutes, 7 seconds in January, and then in 1 minute, 55 seconds in February.
“I just kind of went for it,” he said with a grin.
He had a good time, so he decided to enter the Hooters qualifying round in Panama City in March. He finished off about 128 wings in 10 minutes. He finished second only to Chestnut, who ate 140 wings.
“I would equate it to going to a buffet and getting an extra plate that you shouldn’t have,” Sebree said of the feeling afterward.
Although he stumbled into the world of professional eating only a few months ago, he already ranks No. 30 in the world, according to Major League Eating, which oversees all major eating contests.
Sebree said he’s pretty surprised with his recent success. He doesn’t train for the contests, he just relies on willpower.
“I’ve been training all my life against myself,” he joked.