How Much Money a Driver Makes After Winning the NASCAR Cup Series Title?

Motorsports sure is a money-centric game. But while it takes deep pockets to get into the sport as a driver, it’s worth wondering how much one makes after winning a championship in the big game. Figures might vary across disciplines, but the title holder in NASCAR does receive a good amount of money for their season-long efforts. Although, probably not as high as Formula 1 in those regards.

According to a tweet by Bob Pockrass from Fox News, the total amount of money awarded for the Phoenix weekend in the Cup Series was approximately $11,143,232.

For the Xfinity Series, it was $1,707,366, and for Truck Series, the amount was $794,766.

Purses for Phoenix weekend (doesn’t include season-ending points fund bonus $$). Includes all payouts, all positions and incl. charter system payouts (incl. for past years performance), contingency awards, etc.:

Cup: $11,143,232

Xfinity: $1,707,366

Truck: $794,766

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) October 31, 2023

He also mentioned that this figure includes all payouts for various positions, as well as charter system payouts for past years’ performance and contingency awards. Although, it is important to note that this amount does not include the season-ending points fund bonus money.

How much does Ryan Blaney receive as the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion?

There isn’t an exact number breakdown that can be shared since the figure is never made public. But in a separate article, Pockrass elaborated that NASCAR never pays the driver for winning the title, but the team.

But the nearest estimate for the bonuses paid would be something between $2.5-$3 million. Additionally, the driver would also receive the amount stated in his contract, hence the total would often be higher. This is considering the fact that NASCAR’s contract with the teams includes a provision where a portion of the payout for each race is based on their performance over the past three years.

Therefore, in short, a Cup Series driver does earn quite some money after winning the title for themselves. But along with the money comes the glory and bragging rights of being a part of NASCAR history for years to come.