The world’s fastest cheesehead: NASCAR’s Matt Kenseth reluctantly works with Bears’ fans

The Chase for the Sprint Cup title doesn’t offer NASCAR drivers much time to escape racing, but if Matt Kenseth had his druthers, he knows where he’d like to be tonight.

The longtime Green Bay Packers fan has had his eyes on the Chicago Bears’ visit to Lambeau Field, the matchup on ESPN’s Monday Night Football (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). When Kenseth visited ESPN recently, he confessed he’d be tempted to squeeze a quick trip to Wisconsin in between Chase dates in Texas yesterday and Arizona on Nov. 10. He’ll probably have to watch the ESPN telecast instead.

“I’m not sure I’m going to be able to get up there this year, but it’s always a fun one to go to,” Kenseth said of the Bears-Packers matchup. “It’s hard to beat the experience of Lambeau Field, and I’m not just saying that because I’m a Packers fan.”

In the video above, Kenseth talks about how his Packers’ loyalty clashes with the many Bears fans in his circle, including his crew members and his son, Ross. He also mentions how the Packers’ September victory over the Washington Redskins — and Kenseth’s choice of apparel the next day — rankled his boss, former Washington head coach Joe Gibbs.

Kenseth finished fourth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway yesterday. Race winner Jimmie Johnson opened a seven-point margin over second-place Kenseth in the Chase with two races remaining. In Phoenix on Sunday, Nov. 10 on ESPN (3 p.m.), they will duel again in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Phoenix presented by Quicken Loans.

Video produced by Dave Williams