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Saturday, December 14, 2024

The 25 Highest-Paid NASCAR Drivers

  • Kyle Busch earns five times as much as his Richard Childress Racing teammate Austin Dillon.
  • The top seven highest-paid NASCAR drivers earn over $5 million.
Daytona 500 for the Highest Paid NASCAR Drivers
Feb 16, 2020; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Jimmie Johnson (48),, NASCAR Cup Series driver Ross Chastain (77), NASCAR Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick (4) and NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson (42) during the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports

After securing $7.7 billion in media rights deals, NASCAR is growing faster than ever. With a recent uptick in viewership, a new generation of fans is hungry for the heart-pumping action of one of the largest spectator sports in America.

The highest-paid NASCAR drivers earn lofty wages in line with the sport’s rapid growth.

Kyle Busch tops the list as the highest-paid NASCAR driver of 2024. Busch earns $16.9 million driving for Richard Childress Racing. For the 38-race season, that equates to $444,736 per race. 

On a track like the Daytona 500 which is 200 laps, Busch earns $2,223 per lap. As a two-time cup series champion with 231 career victories, Busch earns $3 million more than the next closest driver on the list.

Denny Hamlin is the second highest-paid NASCAR driver. His performance with Joe Gibbs Racing nets him $13.1 million each year.

Third on the list is Martin Truex Jr. of Joe Gibbs Racing. Truex Jr. earns $10.4 million with an average finish of 17 during the 2024 season. He announced his retirement from full-time racing in June and finished 17th in the last race of the season at Phoenix Raceway.

RFK Racing’s Brad Keselowski comes in as the fourth highest-paid NASCAR driver of 2024. The eleventh-ranked driver in the cup series earns $9.4 million or $247,368 per race.

He has six wins at Talladega Superspeedway, tied for second all-time with Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Rounding out the top five is Joey Logano. Logano earns $9 million driving for Team Penske. 

Driving the number 22, Logano has won the cup series in 2018, 2022, and 2024. He was named the Sunoco Rookie of the Year award in 2009 for the strong start to his NASCAR career.

Hendrick Motorsports has the most drivers on the highest-paid NASCAR drivers list. Four of the top 25 earners drive for the organization.

Joe Gibbs Racing and Stewart-Haas Racing are next closest with three drivers each on the list.

Age is just a number.

Eight of the top 25 highest-paid NASCAR drivers are over the age of 35. Four of the top five are all over the age of 40. 

At 29, Chase Elliott is the youngest NASCAR driver in the top 10 highest-paid drivers. He’s earning $8 million with Hendrick Motorsports.

Ranking the Highest-Paid NASCAR Drivers

Here is the list of the highest-paid NASCAR drivers of 2024 by salary. The list was compiled with data from Spotrac, Planet F1, and SalarySport.

  • Updated: November 18, 2024
RankDriverTeamTotal Compensation
1Kyle BuschRichard Childress Racing$16.9 million
2Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs Racing$13.1 million
3Martin Truex Jr.Joe Gibbs Racing$10.4 million
4Brad KeselowskiRFK Racing$9.4 million
5Joey LoganoTeam Penske$9 million
T-6Kyle LarsonHendrick Motorsports$8 million
T-6Chase ElliottHendrick Motorsports$8 million
8Daniel SuarezTrackhouse Racing$4.5 million
9Michael McDowellFront Row Motorsports$3.7 million
T-10Alex BowmanHendrick Motorsports$3.5 million
T-10Austin DillonRichard Childress Racing$3.5 million
12Ricky Stenhouse Jr.JTG Daughtery Racing$3 million
13Erik JonesLegacy Motor Club$2.3 million
14Bubba Wallace23XI Racing$2.2 million
15Ross ChastainTrackhouse Racing$2.1 million
16Ryan BlaneyTeam Penske$1.9 million
17William ByronHendrick Motorsports$1.8 million
18Ryan PreeceSteward-Haas Racing$1.6 million
19Chris BuescherRFK Racing$1.5 million
20Tyler Reddick23XI Racing$1.3 million
21Chase BriscoeStewart-Haas Racing$1.2 million
22Timmy HillPower Source$900,000
23Christopher BellJoe Gibbs Racing$800,000
24Cole CusterStewart-Haas Racing$500,000
25Anthony AlfredoOur Motorsports$330,000

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