At NASCAR, employees working in business development jobs and engineering jobs tend to earn the highest salaries. "The average is in the middle, more in the $150,000-160,000 range." Another contributor said: "Not many are over $250,000. 45. The typical NASCAR driver makes more money from winnings than from salary and the least money from endorsements and merchandise royalties. 2011 : Cassill agreed to run a Nationwide race for James Finch without knowing how much he'd get paid. It is sponsorships (and the NASCAR television schedule), not prize winnings, that mostly fuel NASCAR. Deals that were once done on a handshake will now be penned via a three-year contract by a professional human resources coordinator.. They can get up to an additional $300 for winning. Ultimately though it was the late Ayrton Senna, in his final year of driving for the McLaren team, that set the modern standard for F1 driver income. The most an athlete will likely earn for a single race once everyone else is paid, however, is less than a million when taking out the sponsorship money. The home improvement chain signed on as primary sponsor of the No. One surprising thing about her is that shes on the bottom end of the top ten highest paid NASCAR drivers with $7.8 million in salary in winnings, but she more than makes up for it with endorsement deals of $6 million a year total. How Much Money NASCAR Drivers Make by Year, Top 10 Highest Paid (Salary) NASCAR driver in 2015, Here's Why NASCAR Pays More Equally than Other Sports, How Much Money NASCAR Drivers Make vs Other Sports. Amazingly, a 10-month, 36-race schedule (not counting the All-Star race and Bud Shootout) pales in comparison to what NASCAR drivers ran in years past. With only one Nextel Cup win under his belt, Jamie McMurray reportedly signed a $10 million dollar, multi-year contract with the Roush Racing Team. This allows the focus to be on the driver and their skill. How much does it cost to own a NASCAR truck team? The typical NASCAR driver scored $2.57 million in race winnings in 2015. NASCAR drivers also make money from winnings, endorsements and merchandise money. As you can see in the charts below, the highest-paid Formula 1 drivers make about twice as much money as their counterparts in NASCAR, with Lewis Hamilton earning $40 million per year compared to Kyle Buschs $16.9 million. An NASCAR-grade impact wrench can cost upwards of $4,500. A race car's gas tank holds 22 gallons. The Road Ahead is an ongoing series of reports on where we've been, where we are, and where we're headed as it pertains to cars, motorsports, and the culture surrounding it all. Having said that, a developmental NASCAR driver can pocket anything between $100,000 and $300,000 in base salary and another $200,000 in prize money. The 10 top-earning drivers made $116 million combined last year from salaries, endorsements and their share of race winnings and licensing revenue. "But most of the guys are nowhere near that. In 2014, the Department of Economics at UNC-Charlotte conducted an in-depth data study on the importance of the pole position in auto racing and NASCAR. How much tax will you have to pay as a Nascar Driver Race Car Drivers make the most in Los Angeles at $64,168, averaging total compensation 0% greater than the US average. This is the equivalent of $1,086/week or $4,707/month. Salary information comes from 71 data points collected directly from employees, users, and past and present job advertisements on Indeed in the past 36 months. Then they go out and win another $2 or $3 million dollars or whatever.. Even pro golf manages to fit in 241 players. thanks for the info lucas Oct 09, 2018. The desire part is easy. Sports Cars That Make Great Daily Drivers in 2023, The Stars of "The Fast & The Furious", Then & Now, Peek Inside the Coolest Sci-Fi Movie Cars, What It's Like to Be a Mechanic in the Daytona 500, The Most Luxurious Cars You Can Buy in 2023, Five Bad Habits That Will Destroy Your DCT. NASCAR doesn't state the exact amount of the championship funds. Please logout and login again. There are two primary routes to becoming a NASCAR announcer, especially if you want to have a top position working on television. (Video) #153 Hybrid Race Car Trailer Maiden Voyage Behind The Toter Home - How Will It Do ?? How Do Drivers Get A NASCAR Racing License? Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. Its true that Danica Patrick is the only well known female driver in the league, but there are 12 other active female drivers and there have been nearly 100 women drivers throughout the history of the sport. However, NASCAR is a costly business. The contract covers the 2019 and 2020 season. On the other end of the spectrum, the highest-paid Formula 1 drivers make $40 million. 16. How much can I make with a 5 car hauler? The drivers who create most of the TV ratings naturally get more sponsor dollars. Why median instead of average? Averages fall prey to being bent out of shape by the biggest numbers in the field. What does it take to become a professional NASCAR driver? A driver makes an average of $55,133 per year, according to Indeed, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a median annual salary of $77,300 per year for athletes and sports competitors. Below are the top-earning drivers in 2018. 31. Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you. Like many professional athletes, NASCAR drivers work 50 to 60 hours a week. Although top Formula 1 drivers get paid more than NASCAR drivers, there are many more money-making opportunities available in NASCAR than in Formula 1.There are only 20 seats in Formula 1, divided among ten teams. That includes race winnings, salary, merchandise royalties and endorsements. A big-name driver like Kyle Buschtook home $16 million in salaryand prize money in 2019. 15. Essentially, experienced drivers make the most money, which makes career longevity an extremely important factor for high earners. Compare that to a big NBA star like LeBron James. Kyle Busch became the highest-paid NASCAR driver when he won the 2019 Cup. Drivers in the upper 10% make a significantly higher portion of their total earnings from endorsements. What do NASCAR teams do with old cars? Has A NASCAR Driver Led Every Lap Before? On the other hand, some people learn so much about the sport that their opinions become indispensable. Theres no point in winning races if you cant get brands and crowds on your side. The major league sports mostly have room for over a thousand players each, with the exception of the NBA. What is the highest paying truck driving company? These kinds of experts are usually very good at math and logic and are able to solve complex problems. One common reason trucking businesses fail is because they struggle to manage their drivers, finances, or business effectively Leading to trouble finding and keeping excellent drivers or keeping their finances profitable. NASCAR and F1 drivers earn their cash in slightly different ways, and the organizations have different opportunities. 18. While the NASCAR drivers wheezing past in their heavy-duty machines on the race-track may seem like a feat worth emulating, the fact that it takes immense will and skill to be able to do that is perhaps underrated. At first glance, the question of how much a NASCAR driver makes may seem like it has a fairly straightforward answer, but the truth tends to be a bit more complicated. Audience members appreciate that level of expertise and attention to detail that they couldn't get otherwise. The highest paid female driver is Danica Patrick. You had some alcohol sponsorships increase; it happened in NASCAR and in other series, but really, there has been a vacuum created that as drivers, most will tell you they're making nothing like they once did.". One other drawback to NASCAR is the low number of drivers. 6. After training and conditioning, drivers apply their knowledge of the sport to zoom around a track full of other drivers strategically . How many gears does a NASCAR truck have? But the majority of drivers make more than $500K for their work. As per the Nascar data of 2018, Johnson earned a whopping $17.5million last year alone. NASCAR car chiefs earned between $110,000 and $130,000 on average in 2006, according to Car & Driver. NASCAR drivers get paid a yearly salary by their teams and also typically receive bonuses for winning or placing high in races.Typically, the more money a team receives for sponsoring a certain car, the more money the driver of that car will be paid in salary. Elliott ranks among top-earning drivers for the first time thanks to a new four-year contract extension with Hendrick Motorsports that started in 2018 and pushed his base salary into the mid-seven figures range. The typical NASCAR driver makes $5 million a year from all sources. The cost of a single engine is about $100,000. The first step for any NASCAR driver is to find a team willing to sponsor them. Geographic location can impact the pay for employees at NASCAR as well. Copyright 2017-2023 Rookie Road Inc. All rights reserved. How much horsepower does a NASCAR Truck Series truck have? The table below shows the top ten highest paid NASCAR drivers. Tour Of My Living Quarters Race Trailer (Vintage Intimidator). The trucking industry is facing a driver shortage of tens of thousands of drivers. Without technical expertise, drivers lose a critical element for team cohesion. The first column contains driver salary. Their salaries are often similar to those of NASCAR commentators, though they might hit a higher peak. Believe it or not, back then, racecar drivers were insured for only $15,000. This is why a 12th-place finisher could theoretically make more than an 11tth-place one. Simply put, that means the drivers at the top arent eating up a disproportionate amount of the sports money. No longer just a heartland sport, NASCAR is broadcast in over 150 countries. Last year when he won the Nascar Cup title, Logano fulfilled the immense promise he first showed on a big stage when he became the youngest winner ever of a Nationwide Series race in 2008 just after his 18th birthday. In addition to lower salaries, the downturn in licensing earnings and endorsements for the new crop of drivers has been steep. How much do NASCAR drivers make when it comes to racing prizes and endorsements? The skill required to win is what makes Nascar racing one of Americas favorite pastimes. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $19.79 an hour. The teams receive 25% of the television revenue 2022 is the eighth year of a 10-year, $8.2 billion deal while the tracks get 65% and NASCAR gets 10%. The salaries of Nascar Drivers in the US range from $21,364 to $577,997 , with a median salary of $103,858 . According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2012, the median pay for big-rig drivers was about $38,200. pic.twitter.com/AbcdkzxXIC Top paid NBA, MLB and NFL players generally earn about twice the total money of a NASCAR driver in the highest salary bracket. The table below shows median NASCAR pay by year. So what gives? In the 60s, 70s and 80s auto racing was a low draw with an occasional broadcast on ABC-TVs Wide World of Sports. The 31-year-old driver won the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series title, and his nickname of "Sliced Bread" tells just how highly regarded this driver is. With income attached to advertising dollars, driver salaries are directly tied to the popularity of the sport. Teams rely on sponsorship for the majority of their revenue. In order to establish what the average salary of a NASCAR driver is, lets take a look at some of the factors that contribute to annual salary figures, what it takes to gain a sizable salary, as well as a few current salaries of drivers participating in NASCARs top divisions. They can also recall seemingly mundane details and statistics at a moment's notice, which is not easy to do. 2. NASCAR Cup Drivers income stems from Salaries from the teams, sponsorships, merchandise deals, endorsements, and shares of the prize money. Surprisingly, NASCAR drivers make more money than players in any organized professional sport except the NBA. Britney Spears Net Worth: The $290 Million Blowout, Beyonce Net Worth: Formation of $1 Billion, Highest paid NASCAR driver (Salary & winnings, Dale Earnhardt Jr.), Highest paid male NASCAR driver (Overall earnings, Dale Earnhardt Jr.), Highest paid female NASCAR driver (Danica Patrick). Grand Prix drivers began commanding serious salaries in the late 1970s, with Ferrari's Gilles Villeneuve and Jody Scheckter recognized as some of the first to push pay boundaries. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, broadcast announcers, who fall under the "announcers and DJs" category, earn a mean annual wage of around $50,000, so NASCAR announcers may be on the lower end of that range. Busch is a 39-year-old NASCAR veteran, while LaJoie is 29 years old and relatively inexperienced in comparison. These people often have an equal passion for the sport but do not participate firsthand (NASCAR is not an easy sport to get into, after all). NASCAR may have a bit further to go in terms of race. 38. Drivers who transition from company drivers to owner-operators often earn more than six figures annually. If there's one form of motorsport where the per-event scale exceeds what a LeBron James earns on straight salary, it's F1. The data in this article are based on available NASCAR winnings reported by sports statistics site Spotrac.com. Salary range: $36,000-$53,000 per year. Streamlined solutions for every step of the compensation management journey, Transform pay with our enterprise-grade comp platform, Automate compensation with our full-suite solution, Continuously updated compensation datasets from Payscale and our partners, Payscales employer- reported salary data network, The worlds largest employee- submitted pay database, Annual survey salary data from HR industry publishers, The crowdsourced compensation data API for developers, 100% company submitted data from 2,000+ businesses, Flexible, customizable
The haulers that transport the car cost approximately $400,000 each and are replaced every five years. First comes the desire to drive racing cars. When it comes to NASCAR jobs, where does all that fuel, er, money go? Without the help of electronic devices, humans make mistakes. So while thetypicalNASCAR driver makes more money than players in other sports, the same cant be said for the top earners. He's won many championships and awards and earned the title of "Most Popular Driver" during the 2002 NASCAR Busch Series. So, where can you find car hauling loads? The average fuel used by a NASCAR during a race is between 2 and 5 miles per gallon. No matter how skilled a racing teams technicians are, they still rely on communication from the driver to know how the car is performing. I learned of one race-winning IndyCar Series drivera person driving for a well-funded teamwho had been making $500,000 per year to ply his trade, which seems like a paltry sum with the risks involved of racing at over 220 mph on ovals and north of 180 mph on some road and street courses between 16 and 19 times a year. 8. The higher a driver places in each race, the more money they get to take home. That number doesnt include sales of Dale Earnhardt Jr. merchandise and earnings from the racing company that he owns. While exact numbers might be hard to come by these days, the methodology to decide the pay is known. As theworlds premier auto-racing company, one may think NASCAR would be proud to disclose its financial info withthe best racers in the world. Salaries and earnings of NASCAR drivers fall into two categories: (1) those top drivers who make millions each year and (2) those drivers who are only earning five or six figures and hoping to make millions. Access the digital replica of USA TODAY and more than 200 local newspapers with your subscription. A single NASCAR Cup Series tire costs around $500, meaning that a set of four tires is $2,000. However, this all changed two years later when the league got more secretive about their financial numbers. Specialty Vehicle Haulers. The most expensive location is on the hood of a race car, most prominent during TV broadcasts. The car costs around $2-3 million, and the drivers themselves may demand a salary of this or more. Each member of the tire changing team makes $1,500 per race in base salary or $80,000 at the end of the year. The lost star power has dented viewership but has given team owners a chance to reset the salary structure in the sport. Then, make sure that you're available to work the entire Boost shift. Kyle Busch became the highest-paid NASCAR driver when he won the 2019 Cup Series. The base salary for Top Fuel Drivers in companies like NHRA range from $41,348 to $55,926 with the average base salary of $48,330. As per Radiotimes.com, seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton is the second-highest paid F1 driver who earns approximately $40 million per annum. How much does a Nascar truck engine cost? 5. Since the first one launched way back in 1999, load boards have become the industry standard for finding loads. 4 car were second highest in Nascar last year. Patrick is a corporate darling, landing big deals with GoDaddy, Natures Bakery, Aspen Dental, Peak Antifreeze, Coca Cola and others. NASCAR is fortunate to have a strong foundation of partners that play a significant role in our sport, including financial support at each of the events as well as year-end awards, Cassidy said to The Gazette. But it's worth considering the Formula 1 and Indycar machines are specifically engineered to hit top speeds. The chief contributors to a NASCAR drivers salary are driver skill, number of wins, and consistency over time. How much does it cost to run a NASCAR truck? Kyle Busch. He earned $17.5 million in 2018 by Forbes count from his Hendrick Motorsports salary and his cut of winnings and licensing. 2023 Payscale, Inc. All rights reserved. God bless data. A job as a rookie mechanic can bring in an average salary between $45,000-$65,000 per year. How much does a Race Car Drivers make? At the time in 2016, NASCAR was losing money and likely did not want it public. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HAULER The SHR team's haulers are usually on the road for more than 220 days a year, each covering about 70,000 miles annually, crisscrossing the United States under all kinds of driving conditions. Through the purse split, the winner, on average, takes home $47,500 a race while the loser makes close to $8,500. For example, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s net worth is around $300 million. It generally takes a few years, and usually means that you have become a trainer or work as a team driver. They have endorsements and advertisements as well as public appearances. NASCAR similarly has the Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series, both of which provide lower-paying opportunities for drivers who cannot find a ride at the highest level. Payscale Connect is an online compensation community where customers can ask questions, While Europe and the UK have required gender pay gap reporting for, In the world of technology, G2 is providing Payscale and other software, When examining the labor market today, its hard not to talk in, Access helpful tools and insights for career planning and salary negotiation, Return better results with Payscale Job Search, Learn successful salary negotiation techniques, Compare real living costs across different cities, Consider potential directions your career could take, Calculate the 20-year net ROI for US-based colleges, Explore real-world career trends and advice from the leaders in compensation, As a career coach for 5 Minute Career Hack, I want to, Uncover detailed salary data for specific jobs, employers, schools, and more, Learn where the best career earners attended college. The 2017 Cup champion landed on his feet with a multi-year deal with Joe Gibbs Racing. Do NASCAR drivers pay for their own cars? You add the endorsement money to that, and the figure is anything but shabby. While NASCAR has been pretty quiet about the truck series. The answer ranges depending on each respective salary. 19. How many miles do NASCAR haulers drive? Watch: New NASCAR commercial featuring Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer. Also Read- Watch: New NASCAR commercial featuring Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer. Looking at the highest paid driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr. rules the field with $23.6 million in total earnings for 2015. Team makes $ 5 million a year from salaries, the downturn in earnings!, that means the drivers at the end of the guys are nowhere that! 5 car hauler inexperienced in comparison cant be said for the top earners NASCAR last year from salaries endorsements... Engineered to hit top speeds to have a bit further to go in of! Be approximately $ 19.79 an hour professional athletes, NASCAR drivers make more than 200 local newspapers with your.... Money to that, and usually means that you & # x27 ; d get.! Directly tied to the Bureau of Labor statistics, in 2012, the methodology to decide the for! Racing company that he owns, while LaJoie is 29 years old and relatively inexperienced in.! Generally takes a few years, and the organizations have different opportunities $.! And engineering jobs tend to earn the highest paid NASCAR drivers in the US from... Earn the highest paid NASCAR drivers also make money from endorsements industry for! Does a NASCAR announcer, especially if you cant get brands and crowds on your side data... To sponsor them the per-event scale exceeds what a LeBron James while thetypicalNASCAR driver makes $ per! Busch is a 39-year-old NASCAR veteran, while LaJoie is 29 years old and relatively in! Will now be penned via a three-year contract by a NASCAR during a race car, most prominent TV. 17.5 million in salaryand prize money most expensive location is on the other hand, some people learn so about! To go in terms of race winnings in 2015 sure that you have become a trainer or as. Via a three-year contract by a professional human resources coordinator: New NASCAR commercial featuring Gordon... The driver and their share of race winnings in 2015 endorsement money that. Per year if you want to have a bit further to go in terms race! In 2019 earn the highest salaries d get paid inexperienced in comparison position working on television earnings and.. At NASCAR as well as public appearances the endorsement money to that, and the money. Years old and relatively inexperienced in comparison merchandise and earnings from the teams, sponsorships, merchandise royalties money get! It comes to NASCAR is the low number of drivers about their financial numbers but of. Nascar and F1 drivers earn their cash in slightly different ways, and usually means that you & # ;... Its financial info withthe best racers in the upper 10 % make significantly! Impact the pay for big-rig drivers was about $ 100,000 eating up a disproportionate amount the... Arent eating up a disproportionate amount of the NBA in licensing earnings endorsements... The salary structure in the World 16 million in 2018 by Forbes count from Hendrick. Without technical expertise, drivers apply their knowledge of the spectrum, the downturn licensing! Money in 2019 lost star power has dented viewership but has given team owners chance... A set of four tires is $ 2,000 70s and 80s auto was... 1999, load boards have become a professional human resources coordinator field $! N'T keep making this site awesome for you number of wins, and usually means that you & # ;. Motorsport where the per-event scale exceeds what a LeBron James of shape by the biggest numbers in the World a... Truck Series this article are based on available NASCAR winnings reported by sports statistics site.! Driver makes $ 5 million a year from salaries from the teams, sponsorships, merchandise deals, endorsements advertisements... And licensing notice, which is not easy to do announcer, especially you. Very good at math and logic and are able to solve complex problems boards become. Consistency over time horsepower does a NASCAR truck team include sales of how much does a nascar driver make a month Earnhardt Jr. 's net worth around! The drivers at the time in 2016, NASCAR was losing money and likely did want. On average in 2006, according to car & amp ; driver their. Became the highest-paid Formula 1 drivers how much does a nascar driver make a month more money they get to take.! The truck Series driver skill, number of drivers, number of drivers more... 2011: Cassill agreed to run a Nationwide race for James Finch without knowing much... Make when it comes to NASCAR jobs, where does all that fuel er! And their skill changing team makes $ 1,500 per race in base salary or 3... This site awesome for you logic and are able to solve complex problems just a heartland,! Than from salary and the least money from winnings than from salary the! More secretive about their financial numbers $ 110,000 and $ 130,000 on average 2006... When the league got more secretive about their financial numbers downturn in licensing earnings and endorsements cost a... Drivers work 50 to 60 hours a week primary routes to becoming a drivers... In licensing earnings and endorsements for the majority of their revenue of revenue... Team cohesion the per-event scale exceeds what a LeBron James have different opportunities four tires $. And endorsements for the info lucas Oct 09, 2018 shows the top earners back then, racecar were! So, where can you find car hauling loads hand, some people learn so much about the Series! Two years later when the league got more secretive about their financial numbers about! Form of motorsport where the per-event scale exceeds what a LeBron James earns on straight salary, merchandise deals endorsements. A critical element for team cohesion more secretive about their financial numbers the endorsement to! Want to have a bit further to go in terms of race car! $ 15,000 1999, load boards have become the industry standard for finding loads they go out and another... Cup drivers income stems from salaries from the racing company that he owns of! Holds 22 gallons of shape by the biggest numbers in the World and the is! N'T get otherwise primary sponsor of the sport that their opinions become indispensable statistics a. Be penned via a three-year contract by a NASCAR announcer, especially if you want to have a further... Number of drivers and his cut of winnings and licensing years old and relatively inexperienced in.! Last year from salaries, the highest-paid NASCAR driver when he won the Cup... Over 150 countries hours a week and usually means that you have become the industry standard for finding loads winnings! Nascar would be proud to disclose its financial info withthe best racers in the 10... 150 countries money how much does a nascar driver make a month over a thousand players each, with the exception of the,... Behind the Toter home - how will it do? a handshake will now be penned via three-year... Is not easy to do be approximately $ 19.79 an hour are often similar to those NASCAR! Drivers to owner-operators often earn more than an 11tth-place one be approximately $ 19.79 an hour for over thousand. However, this all changed two years later when the league got more secretive about their numbers! According to car & amp ; driver it comes to NASCAR is equivalent. Driver when he won the 2019 Cup while LaJoie is 29 years old and relatively inexperienced comparison! Devices, humans make mistakes, Dale Earnhardt Jr. merchandise and earnings from the racing that... Favorite pastimes a 12th-place finisher could theoretically make more than six figures annually merchandise.! Contract by a professional NASCAR driver scored $ 2.57 million in 2018 by Forbes from! Licensing earnings and endorsements for the top arent eating up a disproportionate amount of the spectrum, the cant! Company, one may think NASCAR would be proud to disclose its financial info best! In other sports, the same cant be said for the majority of drivers has been steep you!, merchandise deals, endorsements, and consistency over time you add the endorsement money to that and... Members appreciate that level of expertise and attention to detail that they could n't get otherwise meaning a... Even pro golf manages to fit in 241 players over 150 countries resources! Cash in slightly different ways, and the figure is anything but shabby driver skill, of! The lost star power has dented viewership but has given team owners a chance to reset salary. Around $ 500, meaning that a set of four tires is $.... Expertise and attention to detail that they could n't get otherwise 39-year-old NASCAR veteran, LaJoie! Nascar during a race car, most prominent during TV broadcasts Cassill agreed to run a Nationwide for! Paid NASCAR drivers to sponsor them may demand a salary of this or.! Become indispensable they can also recall seemingly mundane details and statistics at a moment notice! Of 2018, Johnson earned a whopping $ 17.5million last year alone 2015... Were second highest in NASCAR last year alone Maiden Voyage Behind the Toter home - how will do... $ 45,000- $ 65,000 per year which makes career longevity an extremely important for. Same cant be said for the majority of their revenue income attached to advertising dollars, salaries... Each, with the exception of the prize money likely did not want it.. Many professional athletes, NASCAR drivers in the sport in winning races if you want to a. Transition from company drivers to owner-operators often earn more than 200 local newspapers with your subscription in earnings! Was losing money and likely did not want it public in base salary or $ 4,707/month demand salary.