Matt Kenseth grew a beard during the offseason-and it cost him. At Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s 1970s-themed New Year’s Eve party, Kenseth was sporting a Fu Manchu and mutton-chop sideburns. Earnhardt bet Kenseth he wouldn ‘t keep the beard through this week’s Preseason Thunder test sessions at Daytona. Through a series of subsequent text messages between the drivers, the ante grew to $2,500. ‘I was actually going to (keep the beard), and it looked really stupid, but I hate losing any money, and he kept upping the money and upping the money until finally I said, ‘OK. ‘ I checked first to make sure I didn ‘t have any photos, and then I get a call saying that I had a photo shoot here and an interview there-and anyway I guess I lost. ‘Although technically this should count,’ Kenseth added, stroking the stubble on his chin. ‘It is three days old.’ That’s not the way Earnhardt sees it. ‘He shaved his beard,’ Earnhardt said. ‘You guys can remind him. I told him to go to the bank, but maybe he forgot. ‘I want my $2,500.’(NASCAR.com)(2-13-2012)
