The Daytona 500 is this Sunday, which means NASCAR fans will see some of the biggest stars in racing. Guys like Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski and 2020 Cup Series champion Chase Elliott will compete in “The Great American Race,” which will kick off the 2021 season. But fans are also wondering how much money do these drivers make bring in?
Money can be made via salary, endorsements and winning races. The total purse of the 2020 Daytona 500 was $23.6 million, the highest in American Sports history. “The DAYTONA 500 is more than just the season-opening race,” Chip Wile, President of Daytona International Speedway, said in a statement. “It’s a life-changing event for the winner, whose name will join the legends of this sport. Fans will pack the state-of-the-art motorsports venue, and millions will watch on television. And the reason is simple: The DAYTONA 500 is one of the premier events in all of sports, and now has the richest purse in history.”
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NASCAR doesn’t release the place-by-prize money, but Sporting News believes last year’s winner – Denny Hamlin took home around $2.06 million. Hamlin has won the Daytona 500 three times, including the last two years. Scroll down to take a look at the net worth of some of the biggest drivers competing in the Daytona 500.
Denny Hamlin – $65 million
Denny Hamlin is arguably NASCAR’s top driver. He has won the Daytona 500 three times and has placed first in 44 Cup Series races. In the last two seasons, Hamlin finished fourth in the Cup Series Standings and has placed in the top 10 six of the last seven seasons.ย
Kyle Busch – $80 million
As successful as Hamlin has been, especially last year, Kyle Busch will be named to the NASCAR Hall of Fame when his career is all said and done. He won the Cup Series Championship in 2015 and 2019 and is the all-time wins leader in Xfinity Series races. The one thing Busch would like to do is win the Daytona 500 as his best finish in the race is fourth.
Brad Keselowski – $45 million
Brad Keselowski won the Cup Series Championship in 2012 and also won the Nationwide Series Championship in 2010. He has won a total of 34 Cup Series races and finished second in the 2020 Cup Series standings behind Chase Elliott.ย
Joey Logano – $44 million
Joey Logano won the Daytona 500 in 2015 and the Cup Series title in 2018. In 2020, Logano won three races and finished third in the Cup Series standings. Since winning the Daytona 500 in 2015, Logano has finished in the top 10 of the race four of the last five years.ย
Kevin Harvick – $70 million
Kevin Harvick has seen it all and done it all in NASCAR. He’s won the Cup Series title in 2014, the Cup Series regular-season title last year and finished first in the Daytona 500 in 2007. In over 20 years of competing in NASCAR, Harvick has won 58 Cup Series races and 47 Xfinity Series races.ย
Chase Elliott – $12 million
Chase Elliot’s net worth will continue to grow as he advances in his NASCAR career. He’s already off to a strong start, winning the Cup Series Championship in 2020 and being named NASCAR Cup Series Most Popular Driver the last three years.ย
Kurt Busch – $60 million
Just like his younger brother Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch has had a very successful NASCAR career. He won the Cup Series Championship in 2004 and placed first in the 2017 Daytona 500. In terms of career starts (720), Busch is the longest-tenured active driver in the Cup Series.
