How much do NASCAR drivers make? NASCAR drivers’ salaries range from $21,365 to $577,998 in the US with an average of $103,859. 57% of NASCAR drivers earn between $103,863 and $260,38, while top 86% are making $577,998.
NASCAR race drivers
Watching a NASCAR driver drive insanely fast on the track gets you mesmerized and makes you wonder that it takes an immense amount of skill and talent to drive and control those heavy-duty machines. A job that is extraordinary and cannot be done by ordinary people pays a heavy amount.
NASCAR winning drivers
The salary of a NASCAR driver depends on his skills and how many wins they get because the prize money is a bonus apart from a decently paid job of taking part in the race. Now NASCAR has been secretive about how they make their money and does not disclose it quite often.
But they usually make money by having sponsorship deals, promoting and selling merchandise, and more. They sell broadcasting rights of TV and digital, which gives them the responsibility of paying the NASCAR drivers a whole pocket of salary. NASCAR drivers get paid $100,000 to $300,000, But that’s not all; apart from this, the prize money is $200,000.
NASCAR drivers don’t have the same dealerships and sponsorships as footballers and other players in the industry. Hence, they have to make money by winning the races as much as possible, and their income depends on their skills. Now that we have told you about the average and highest earnings of the drivers, if you want to go more into the details process of earning, then a single race won by a NASCAR driver will pay them $45,000 while the loser will be stuck with $8000.
Either way, if you do not have skills, you are still making money in this field, and by practicing more and more, you can get paid a decent amount of salary and have the possibility of winning the prize money, which is $200,000.
One of the highest-paid people in the industry is Kylie Busch, who made $17.8 million by winning races endorsements and licensing. This example tells us a lot about getting successful in the field and the limits of earning. Another example is Danny Hamilton, who made $23.6 million in 2020.
What skills does it take to be a NASCAR driver?
Before getting to the premier national series, NASCAR has some requirements to fulfill before participating in the races and becoming a NASCAR driver. The first and foremost requirement is to be at least 18 years old and have a driving license.
This career field requires a lot of driving skills, and one should be very used to the mechanics of the vehicles and have some experience in driving different cars that require unique skills. To become a professional NASCAR driver, some difficult paths make you eligible for the job, but the hard work and wait is worth it as it benefits in the long run.
A person needs to have some experience in racing and should take part in smaller competitions and go-karts. After having experiences like this, one can graduate to the bigger racing cars, which will eventually take you to the official races of NASCAR. One possible requirement is to take NASCAR driving courses before officially becoming a professional in this field.
The next big step towards it is to get an internship with NASCAR and pass the driving test. Still, as we all know, NASCAR is a very costly business and requires some extra level skills to win races and must have the social skills to get sponsorships. One also needs to be in excellent physical shape to be 100% in the game.
The top highest-paid NASCAR drivers
In this field of race and competition, some top drivers have made the most money in the industry and have gained fame and recognition by winning several races. The thing about NASCAR drivers is that once they start winning races, they attract a lot of sponsorship deals and open the door to unmeasured success.
| NASCAR driver | Combined earning | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Martin Truex Jr. | $11.5 million |
| 2. | Kevin Harvick | $12.2 million |
| 3. | Denny Hamlin | $14.6 million |
| 4. | Jimmy Johnson | $17.6 million |
| 5. | Kyle Busch | $17.8 million |
Diving more profound into how much money do NASCAR drivers make
Most people assume that NASCAR driving is a field where they don’t make enough money as the other players, like in football and other sports. But that’s not true. These drivers can make a lot of money through sponsorships and deals and by simply winning the races.
NASCAR isn’t a Major League sport like basketball and stuff, but some drivers are wealthy, and it shows how successful you can be in the field; the possibilities are immense. When people assume about how poor income the NASCAR drivers have made me research more about it. And here’s what I found the driving and making money in the race also depends on the team aspect. They can make money by winning as teams, and that is how they pull the money in.
There are so many ways of winning the races getting sponsorships, teamwork, and simply winning the races and getting dealerships. NASCAR driving is all about having more skills and less work and then more money. And if you are skilled in the field, and to be honest, it’s a fair trade.
NASCAR drivers who race full time to get sponsorships, and average teamwork can earn $147 million. Their revenue can exceed yearly $100 million, which is an excellent opportunity to stack up on your cash. And this shows how important it is to select the right team members that can only benefit you and boost you up in all aspects of the race.
Employing for racing teams
When it comes to making the team, everyone will try to make a solid team, but they need to give them a good salary depending on how talented the driver is. Some talented and famous drivers can earn $5 million by working for a team, and the base salary for teamwork is $500,000.
It’s only beneficial for the drivers to join a team and work for them, and it is always a crucial decision for the employers to make a team that will make them win. Some very famous and talented NASCAR drivers have made $10 million by working in a team and winning.
Money earned from endorsements and prizes
Now that we know, the NASCAR driver’s source of money is not just by winning the races, and it is also about what type of tournament they won or what kind of dealership they got and sponsorships. It can be challenging for the drivers to sign a deal or get into teams bound to win, but they can earn millions once they get a good dealership.
That is how NASCAR drivers make money, and then they do not have to worry about winning the race every single time. It is a significant achievement for a driver to land endorsements as they can be like $50,000 or more.
So if it’s hard to land jobs on winning teams, another option to get paid is to seal private endorsement from companies, which is better as it does not require any teamwork. A NASCAR driver earning over $20 million per year by winning races earning prize money and bonuses is a good possibility.
Process of becoming a NASCAR driver
The first step one needs to take towards the NASCAR driving career is to visit your local racetrack. At the same time, many NASCAR enthusiasts believe that you should engage a kid at a very young age to get complete knowledge skills on driving on an Oval Race track.
After you get full practice from the local tracks, one needs to go to the NASCAR driving course, which will make an individual eligible for the official NASCAR race tracks. One of the most challenging moments for someone who is trying to become a professional at NASCAR driving is that they need to prove to other people that they are skilled enough to drive as fast as to compete against other players and give out their best to catch the attention from companies that give out sponsorships.
Going to the local tracks
When you visit the local tracks, make sure that you purchase a pit pass because it will help you gain experience for the official NASCAR driving. Through that, you can meet people already professionals in the field and have conversations with them to guide proper guidance towards a successful path.
Try to have conversations about how old one should be to be eligible in the racing track of NASCAR, and as long as they feel like they are mentoring you; they will give you the correct answers, which can be helpful for you in the long run. There you can meet the official members and the race drivers that can give you a different perspective about NASCAR driving and how to start and have a flourishing career in your future.
Go-kart can be very helpful
As a parent, if your kid wants to engage in racing and wants to be a professional NASCAR driver in the future, then go-karts are effective and are the best option for kids that are too young to drive racing cars. This will give them the practice and upper hand before they get to the official NASCAR courses. Thus go-karts can be helpful for your kids if they want to practice racing cars.
After you get good at karting, you should gradually make your way to the race cars. Now that you know the basics about the technical aspects of it, you can drive racing cars and practice more to be perfectly skilled and eligible for the NASCAR test.
Learning the technical aspects of racing cars and car tuning
When it comes to driving racing cars, the raw talent might not be enough to be wholly successful and become a part of the NASCAR team. One needs to have the ability to harness the skills and learn everything about the car that they are driving.
Just the basic knowledge and experience can work in the long run and help you manage and control the car, resulting in winning the race. You should also know how to work as a team and cooperate, which gives you an advantage. Also, you should always keep practicing and Polish your skills more. Investing money is also essential for participating in local races and taking advantage of coaching and courses. There can be many ways to determine if you can become a NASCAR driver, as it takes raw talent and skills, practice, and physical abilities.
Successful NASCAR drivers are usually slim and athletic physically as it is more efficient and easier to turn on the Oval racetrack if you are not heavily built. The weight of the driver and the car depends on how efficiently you covered the racetrack.
Finding sponsorships and network
Now, this is a fact that you can make money and be successful in the NASCAR field only by getting good sponsorship deals, and for that, one needs to be sufficiently educated enough to represent itself and build its brand. This is where your education helps you talk in front of cameras and use social media to gain recognition and get the attention of the sponsors.
And when the driver represents himself and his talking charisma helps him gain quality sponsors and becomes good socially. In networking, then the NASCAR driver can experience a quality drive while earning a reasonable amount.
Do NASCAR drivers get to keep the total prize money?
One of the most prominent motorsports globally is NASCAR, mainly due to their cash winning the races. But of course, the real prize money is not just owned by the driver, but it is distributed among the mechanic and the other team members that help win the race.
The prize money is generally distributed among the team members, and it depends on how experienced and skilled the driver is, which will make the percentage of the prize money for the driver.
Proportional sharing of the money
Every NASCAR game is different and Offers a different money pool while some pay more, and some might pay less. Regardless of the amount, the cash is proportionally distributed among the 40 drivers and the crewmates. Usually, the money distributed is so that those who win the race get the highest pay, while those who came last are given the minor portion.
But that is not the only way of distributing the money; in NASCAR races, the income for the team also depends on how they performed in the last season, and their overall reputation makes up their portion of the money. The team’s different sponsors also depend on the share of prize money.
Sponsors and broadcasters
The income in the NASCAR races and their prize money is from different sources That make up the money pool for the drivers and the crewmates. The main TV stream broadcast is the most significant source of earning as they invest in getting more exposure for themselves. TV companies and sponsors make up a significant amount of cash for the winners of the races.
The brand and sponsors will invest in those teams and drivers that are winning and have a good reputation because they want the brands to look best in their position by investing in their endorsements of those winners.
Winning through contingency money
When a driver races in the race track with a car with a specific brand name and is paid the extra fee for that, it’s called contingency money. This offer is specifically for drivers with excellent skills and the qualification to get sponsorships like that. These are the type of races that make the most money, and in some rare cases, those that do not win but have a lot of sponsors on their hands can earn more money than the winner.
How much do NASCAR drivers make? This explains that if they have the correct type of sponsors and deals, they can early step up their cash game. The winner, however, always wins the most cash prize, but there is a possibility of making more money even if you don’t win but have a lot of sponsors.
Frequently asked questions
There are some related questions are answered below:
1. Who is the richest NASCAR driver?
The most affluent NASCAR driver of 2021 is Kyle Busch 36 years old driver from Las Vegas.
2. Do NASCAR drivers ■■■?
Race drivers never ■■■ during the race because they use salt tablets to dehydrate themself. Because of that, they sweat too much, and fluids come out through the seating and don’t produce much urine.
3. Do NASCAR owners make money?
Yes, NASCAR owners make money like every business person through sponsorships and winning price money.
4. Do NASCAR drivers get a new car every race?
A car engine can be used for the entire season; they rebuilt it after every race(500 miles for Daytona 500). Engines are designed to last for one race.
5. How much is a NASCAR car?
NASCAR automobiles are a bit costly. It would help if you estimated the cost between $200,000 to $ 400,000 for a built-up car.
6. Do NASCAR drivers listen to music?
No, NASCAR drivers do not listen to music during races because drivers need lots of focus on the racing track while racing.
7. How much does it pay to win the Daytona 500?
They reveal no details for the Daytona500, 2021. But they pursued $23.6 million in 2020, which is the highest total in American sports history.
8. How many miles per gallon does a NASCAR race car get?
According to the calculations of one company, NASCAR stock cars Monsters Energy and XFINITY give an average of 4.16 miles per gallon.
9. Do NASCAR drivers eat during races?
Yes NASCAR drivers have a hydration system in the cars they do eat and drink during the race. Some of the drivers keep energy bars with them and also have sandwiches and snacks which are passed to them during races.
10. Who is the shortest NASCAR driver?
Rico Abreu with a height of 4 ft 4 in (1.32 m), and a weight of 95 lb (43 kg).
Conclusion
So the answer to the question how much do NASCAR drivers make? The NASCAR driver and his team can Earn $100,000 to $300,000, but apart from that, the prize money can be $200,000. NASCAR drivers need to maintain their social skills in Ann’s networking to gain sponsors and work ■■■■■■ in teams to win the prize money. However, they can also use the contingency money to earn in different ways than usual.