This weekend, NASCAR hits its third and final checkpoint — Martinsville Speedway— marking the last chance for drivers in the Round of 8 to secure their positions in the Championship 4 race.
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It’s expected to be a chaotic weekend, but the hefty prize purse on offer might just be the silver lining the drivers need to push through the pressure.
Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports broke down the weekend’s financials, revealing a total prize pool of $8,991,338 for the NASCAR Cup Series. The Xfinity Series and the Truck Series have purses of $1,441,088 and $672,417, respectively.
The figures encompass everything from payouts for all finishing positions to contingency awards and charter payouts based on both weekly performance and historical achievements.
The prize money for the Martinsville Cup race has surged by $1,322,310 this season, compared to the Cook Out 400’s $7,669,028 in the spring of this year itself. The increase also marks a considerable rise of $1,667,135 from last year’s pool of $7,324,203.
In the Xfinity Series, the purse has experienced a modest rise, growing by $37,465 from last year’s $1,403,623. On the other hand, the Truck Series has witnessed a slight dip in its purse, decreasing by $21,425 from last year’s $693,842.
Purses for Martinsville weekend, includes all payouts, all positions, contributions to year-end points fund, contingency awards, etc., and for Cup, charter team payouts for racing and historical performance:
Cup: $8,991,338
Xfinity: $1,441,088
Truck: $672,417
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) October 30, 2024
This influx of prize money is largely fueled by television revenue as well as the hype and engagement that is created by the Playoffs format. Under the new agreements, $7.7 billion will be distributed over seven years, translating to an annual fee of $1.1 billion.
Networks including NBC, Fox, Amazon, and WBD will share broadcasting duties for the Cup Series schedule from 2025 to 2031.
With such financial backing, it’s expected that the purses for upcoming seasons could see effective increases.
Previewing the Martinsville Speedway Race
Heading to Martinsville, it’s a do-or-die situation for the drivers lagging in the standings. Kyle Larson trails by a narrow 7 points, while Denny Hamlin is 18 points adrift. Ryan Blaney faces a steeper climb, 38 points behind, and Chase Elliott is grappling with a 43-point deficit.
Although, Tyler Reddick and Joey Logano are comfortably positioned in the Championship 4 after winning at Las Vegas and Homestead, points-wise they are behind Christopher Bell, who is leading by 29 points, and William Byron, ahead by 7 points.
Hamlin, known for his work on short tracks, approaches Martinsville with five wins out of 37 starts and an average finish of 10.2, aiming to add to the tally.
Last year, he settled a third-place finish from a fourth-place start. Ryan Blaney, another favorite, boasts an impressive record on the track with an average finish of 8.8 over 17 starts, including a win last year that catapulted him into the Championship 4 and on to clinch the Cup Championship.
Not to be overlooked, Elliott, Byron, Bell, and Larson are also challenging contenders at Martinsville, with average finishes of 12.7, 16.2, 16.2, and 16.7 respectively.
