How Much Do NASCAR Drivers Make for Winning a Race?

There isn’t a single number: for a NASCAR Cup Series win today, the winning team typically earns mid–six figures and, at marquee events, can exceed $1 million; the driver’s personal take is a negotiated share of that purse plus bonuses, often ranging from tens of thousands to several hundred thousand dollars depending on the race and contract. Since NASCAR stopped publishing per‑race payouts in 2016, precise figures aren’t public, but industry data and recent purse announcements provide a reliable picture of how win-day money breaks down.

Why there’s no simple answer

NASCAR discontinued publicly itemizing per‑race earnings after the 2015 season, so the “winner’s check” you might remember seeing on results sheets no longer exists in official releases. Purses still exist—and are substantial—but distributions are paid to teams, then drivers are compensated according to their contracts. That means payouts vary by event, the team’s charter status, sponsor agreements, and the individual driver’s deal.

What a Cup Series win pays in 2024–2025

The figures below refer to the winning team’s purse-related earnings from a single race (before expenses). They reflect industry estimates, historical disclosures, and recent purse announcements for major events.

• Daytona 500 and other “crown jewels” (e.g., Coca‑Cola 600, Southern 500, Brickyard 400): winning team payouts commonly exceed $1,000,000, with Daytona often approaching or surpassing $1.5–$2.0 million in recent years.
• Playoff and marquee points races: typically high six figures, and in some cases can push toward the low seven figures depending on sponsorship and event stature.
• Standard regular-season points races: generally mid-to-high six figures to the winning team, with track, market size, and sanctioning specifics influencing the total.

These are ballpark ranges because individual race economics vary and teams also receive season-long charter and performance distributions that are separate from race-day purses but tied to results.

What the driver actually takes home

Drivers don’t directly receive the published purse; the team does. The driver’s win-day earnings come from a contractually defined slice of race winnings plus bonuses and salary mechanisms.

• Percentage of purse: Many Cup contracts allocate roughly 30–50% of the applicable race winnings to the driver, though the exact split can be higher or lower.
• Win bonuses: Team and sponsor deals often add guaranteed bonuses for a victory, ranging from tens of thousands to six figures depending on the program.
• Salary and incentives: Star drivers may be on multimillion-dollar salaries with escalators for wins, top‑5s, stage wins, and playoff advancement, which can significantly boost a race’s total payout to the driver.
• Net reality: For a routine points race, a winning driver might clear roughly $50,000–$200,000+ after applying a purse share and bonuses; for crown jewels, the driver’s take can reach the mid–six figures (and occasionally higher with incentives).

Because these arrangements are private, two drivers winning the same race can take home very different amounts.

Case in point: the Daytona 500

The Daytona 500 is the richest race on the calendar. In 2024, Daytona International Speedway announced a record purse of approximately $28.0 million for the event. While NASCAR does not disclose the winner’s specific purse share, industry expectations place the winning team’s allocation well into seven figures at Daytona. The driver’s personal cut—after applying a contract split and any win bonuses—often lands in the low-to-mid six figures, and can be higher for elite drivers with premium bonus structures.

What about Xfinity and Trucks?

Purses (and therefore driver take-homes) are smaller below the Cup level, but wins still matter for income, bonuses, and career trajectory.

• NASCAR Xfinity Series: Winning team purses are often in the low-to-mid six figures for bigger events and lower for standard races; winning drivers commonly net five figures to low six figures depending on their agreement and bonuses.
• NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Winning team purses are typically lower than Xfinity; winning drivers often see five-figure payouts, with extra incentives from sponsors or manufacturer programs potentially adding to the total.

As in Cup, exact amounts vary widely by team strength, sponsorship, and the event’s stature.

What drives the payout up or down

Several variables determine how much money a win is “worth” to both the team and the driver.

• Event stature and market: Crown jewels and playoff races carry larger purses and richer sponsor programs.
• Team charter and performance money: Charter status and season-long performance payouts influence overall economics tied to results.
• Sponsor contracts: Some wins unlock sizable bonuses or activation payments.
• Driver contract structure: The percentage split, bonus ladders, and base salary differ dramatically among drivers.
• Manufacturer incentives: OEMs may layer in additional rewards for wins, especially at marquee events.

The same victory can produce vastly different checks depending on these factors, even within the same series and season.

Summary

In today’s NASCAR, a race win usually means mid–six figures to the winning Cup team and can exceed $1 million at marquee events like the Daytona 500. The driver’s personal payday is a negotiated slice of that purse plus bonuses—often tens of thousands to several hundred thousand dollars, and higher for the sport’s biggest races and best‑compensated stars. Since NASCAR no longer publishes per‑race earnings, all totals are best understood as ranges shaped by event prestige, sponsorship, and individual contracts.

Who is the highest paid race car driver?

Frequently Asked Questions

• Which Formula 1 driver makes the most money? Max Verstappen of Team Red Bull is the highest-earning Formula 1 driver at $65 million per year.
• How many Formula 1 drivers are there? There are 20 Formula 1 drivers.
• Which Formula 1 team pays the most money to drivers?

Who is the highest paid NASCAR driver?

Kyle Busch
1. Kyle Busch. Kyle Busch topped the list of highest-paid NASCAR drivers in 2024, earning $16.9 million, according to Front Office Sports. That amounts to about $444,736 per race for the multi-time Cup Series Champion.

How much do NASCAR pit crews make?

While ZipRecruiter is seeing hourly wages as high as $32.45 and as low as $10.82, the majority of Nascar Pit Crew wages currently range between $16.83 (25th percentile) to $24.76 (75th percentile) across the United States.

How much does the Daytona 500 winner get?

In 2023, Pockrass reported that winners field between $1.5 million and $2 million in earnings at Daytona. That figure is dependent on a number of factors, including an allocation based on three-year season-ending points performance of the charter.