Domino's Pizza 'World's Fastest Pizza Maker' Wins in World Record Time (5/00)

Dough was flying as 17 finalists from around the world competed for the title of Domino's Pizza "World's Fastest Pizza Maker." The winner, Rene DeGuia, a Domino's store manager from Palm Springs, Calif., broke the world record by making 14 pizzas in 2 minutes and 34 seconds. DeGuia, a veritable pizza maestro, averaged an amazing 11 seconds per pizza, walked away with a $5,000 cash prize and the crowned title, "World's Fastest Pizza Maker" after beating last year's record of 2 minutes and 40 seconds.

Finishing a close second with another record time was the defending champion, Raymond Genusa from Wescalo, Texas, who finished this year with a time of 2 minutes and 38.2 seconds. Chris Witting, a corporate field trainer from Philadelphia, came in third place with a record time of 2 minutes 38.8 seconds.

Domino's began the "World's Fastest Pizza Maker" competition in 1982, honoring those who best exemplify the company's philosophy of keeping efficiency in the store, allowing sufficient time for safe delivery. Regional competitions, held across the world, determined the competitors with the fastest times.

The object of the competition is to shape and sauce two trays of dough balls into 14 perfect pizzas in the fastest amount of time. The pizzas include eight medium and six large pies, the two most commonly ordered pizza sizes in Domino's stores. Because of the varying topping and cheese orders that Domino's pizza makers receive, the competition concentrates on two essential steps of the pizza-making process - shaping and saucing the dough. Although speed at "World's Fastest Pizza Maker" is important, it is only part of the recipe. Quality is closely observed by two judges who inspect the dough and the application of sauce during the competition. If the pizza is not perfect, it is returned to the competitor to make necessary adjustments, while still being timed.

The "World's Fastest Pizza Maker" Competition was held during Domino's Worldwide Rally, the company's annual meeting of more than 3,000 employees and franchisees from across the globe. This year, the Worldwide Rally took place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas from May 22-24, 2000.

Founded in 1960, Domino's Pizza operates a network of 6,652 owned and franchised stores in the United States and 64 international markets. Domino's, the world leader in pizza delivery, is committed to leading the industry in product quality and operational excellence.