This weekend, NASCAR rolls into Las Vegas, promising not a stressful weekend for the playoff drivers, especially those on the bubble. But a potentially lucrative payout could ease the pressure and motivate the teams.
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According to Fox Sports reporter Bob Pockrass, the total purse for the Vegas weekend — encompassing all payouts for all positions, contingency awards, contributions to the year-end points fund, and charter payouts based on weekly racing and historical performance — is set to be $8,157,812 for the NASCAR Cup Series and $1,409,745 for the Xfinity Series.
The prize money for this year’s races in Las Vegas has seen an increase, with the South Point 400 Cup Race climbing by $372,492 and the Xfinity race by $80,016 from last year. However, these figures still fall short of the payouts from the Pennzoil 400 held at the same track in March this year, where the Cup Series saw $9,386,054, the Xfinity Series $1,801,278, and the Truck Series $736,214 awarded.
Purses for Vegas weekend, all payouts, all positions plus contingency awards, contribution to year-end points fund, etc., and for Cup, charter payouts based on racing each week and historical performance:
Cup: $8,157,812
Xfinity: $1,409,745
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) October 16, 2024
Although the discrepancy might not seem substantial, in the sport where the distribution of winnings stretches to drivers and crew members alike, every dollar is crucial. The bulk of these prize purses is derived from television revenue, which reflects the growth expected from new media agreements set for 2024.
Previewing the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Sunday’s South Point 400 will commence the Round of 8 in the NASCAR Cup Series, placing it at a pivotal point for the top 8 drivers. A victory in Las Vegas will not only secure a spot in Championship 4 but also allow the winner to approach the final two races with less pressure.
Currently, Kyle Larson stands as the favorite, leading the pack with the strongest track record in Las Vegas, boasting a career average finish of 9.3 — the highest among all active drivers. Larson has won the last two races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in the fall of 2023 and the spring of 2024. His teammates Alex Bowman and William Byron have also won a race on this track.
Joey Logano, behind the wheel of his #22 Ford, has celebrated victory twice in Las Vegas, in the springs of 2019 and 2020. Brad Keselowski made his mark by winning the inaugural fall Las Vegas race in 2018, launching that year’s NASCAR playoffs.
