NASCAR: Ranking NASCAR's Highest Paid Drivers In 2017

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Feb 26, 2017; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kurt Busch (41), Chase Elliott (24) and Denny Hamlin (11) during the 2017 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports /

NASCAR is a big-money business, something that a lot of casual fans and non-fans might not realize. In fact, some NASCAR drivers rank up there with athletes in the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL when it comes to annual earnings.

Coming into the 2017 NASCAR season there was a bit of a shakeup in regards to NASCAR’s highest paid driver.

In recent years the top spot on this list has been held by Dale Earnhardt Jr., the driver of the No. 88 machine for Hendrick Motorsports. However, in 2016 Earnhardt Jr. missed the second half of the NASCAR season due to concussion-like symptoms. Earnhardt missing those 18 races not only cost him a chance for a championship in 2016, but it also cost him quite a bit of money. After all, you can’t earn race purses when you’re not running in the races.

As a result, there will be a new No. 1 driver on the list this season. Information for the list was compiled by the team over at Forbes.com. The earnings for each driver factors in their base salaries with their teams as well as earnings from race purses and sponsorship deals.

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NASCAR: Ranking NASCAR’s Highest Paid Drivers In 2017

By Christopher Olmstead | Mar 3, 2017

NASCAR is a big-money business, something that a lot of casual fans and non-fans might not realize. In fact, some NASCAR drivers rank up there with athletes in the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL when it comes to annual earnings.