NASCAR Drivers Salary: Who is the Highest paid Driver?

NASCAR stands for National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing and it is not the same as F1. NASCAR is a privately-owned racing competition that started in the USA in 1948. NASCAR drivers may not be earning like some great footballer, golf or basketball player but NASCAR drivers salary are quite handsome compared to some other sports played globally.

Like every other sport, NASCAR makes the majority of the money through broadcasting rights and sponsorship deals while the drivers make money through their records. The average salary of a NASCAR driver can range from $150,000 to $300,000 plus they always have an opportunity to earn prize money value at $200,000.

NASCAR Drivers Salary

DriversSalaryEndorsementTotal EarningsTeam
Kyle Busch$16.1 million$1.7 million$17.8 millionJoe Gibbs Racing
Jimmie Johnson$14.8 million$2.8 million$17.6 millionHendrick Motorsports
Denny Hamlin$13.1 million$1.5 million$14.6 millionJoe Gibbs Racing
Kevin Harvick$10.9 million$1.3 million$12 millionStewart-Haas Racing
Martin Truex Jr$10.4 million$1.1 million$11.5 millionJoe Gibbs Racing
Brad Keselowski$9.4 million$1 million$10.4 millionFord Monster Energy Racing
Chase Elliott$8 million$2.2 million$10.2 millionHendrick Motorsports
Joey Logano$9 million$1 million$10 millionFord Monster Energy Racing
Kyle Larson$8 million$800,000$8.8 millionChip Ganassi Racing
Clint Bowyer$6.4 million$500,000$6.9 millionStewart-Haas Racing
William Byron$5 million$500,000$5.5 millionHendrick Motorsports
Alex Bowman$3.5 millionN/A$3.5 millionHendrick Motorsports
Kurt Busch$3.3 millionN/A$3.3 millionChevrolet Motorsport
Aric Almirola$2.5 millionN/A$2.5 millionStewart-Haas Racing
Ryan Newman$2 millionN/A$2 millionRoush Fenway Racing
Erik Jones$1.85 millionN/A$1.85 millionJoe Gibbs Racing

The best and top NASCAR drivers can earn over $140,000 including the prize money and income from the endorsement deals.

After winning the 2019 Cup Series, Kyle Busch became the highest-paid NASCAR driver with a total earning of $17.8 million. The major source of his income comes from his salary, endorsement deals and share from the winning prize money.

Jimmie Johnson earns around $17.6 million including the salary of $14.8 million from NASCAR and $2.8 million from the endorsement deals.

The third highest-paid NASCAR driver, Denny Hamlin pockets the salary of $13.1 million and $1.5 million from the endorsements deals which makes his total earning around $14.6 million.


NASCAR Pit Crew Members Earnings

Being a NASCAR pit crew member is a hectic and responsible job. It requires a high level of skills and comes with a lot of responsibility. Many times the time spent on pit stop decides the fate of the race. It is the job of pit crew members to send drivers back to the track as soon as possible. The margin of error is very low. The job is hectic but pit crew members earn a good amount of money. The money they earn depends on the role they perform in the crew team.

NASCAR Pit Crew Members Salary

As per the sources, a spotter can earn up to $2,500 per race. Whereas, a qualified mechanic can earn somewhere around $45,000 to $65,000 in a year. The annual income of tire drawers is around $80,000. One who has good knowledge of the car and understands engineering can earn up to $100,000. The jackman and the fueler earn more money than spotter, mechanic and tire drawers. Their annual income is between $250,000 and $300,000. 

The last and most important member of the Pit Crew is the crew chief. The chief crew heads everything related to Pit Crew members. For their job, they earn around $200,000 to $1 million in a year. Every member of the Pit Crew is also entitled to a bonus if the driver wins the race. The bonus ranges from $300 to $2500. 

NASCAR Pit Crew Member Salary

MembersRaceday EarningsWinning Bonus
Crew Chief$10,000$2,500
Jack-man$3,000$500
Fueler$3,000$500
Spotter$2,500$500
Front Tire Changer$1,500$300
Front Tire Carrier$1,500$300
Rear Tire Changer$1,500$300
Rear Tire Carrier$1,500$300
Utility Man$500N.A

How to become a NASCAR Pit Crew Member?

The most eligibility criteria to become a NASCAR Pit Crew member is to have knowledge of automotive. All the members of the crew should have knowledge of the nut and bolts. They should also know how to repair them

In order to become a NASCAR Pit Crew member one needs to attend automotive school and also gets experience by doing apprenticeships. It is a long process and takes a lot of learning. Apart from theoretical and practical knowledge, a NASCAR Pit Crew member should be fit and healthy. That means he/she should be physically fit.

They should be quick and must be quick on their feet. Since they have to spend a long time on the job they also must have endurance and mental resistance. On average, a NASCAR Pit Crew member spends 14-15 hours working in a day.