Being the most-watched and most popular racing league in America, NASCAR is a huge business and a money-making machine.
The most successful drivers in NASCAR have turned their need for speed into lucrative careers, amassing significant wealth through big prize winnings and lucrative endorsements from major brands.
These are the 14 of the NASCAR’s wealthiest drivers of all time.
Image Credit: IMDb.
14. Jeff Burton
Net Worth: $55 million
Nicknamed “the Mayor,” Jeff Burton managed to score 27 Xfinity Serie and 21 Sprint Cup Series wins, 248 top ten, and six poles. The now-retired race car driver is not the only Burton to compete in the sport—his brother Ward Burton and his nephew Jeb Burton have also raced in the Sprint Cup Series. Over his 20-year career, Burton has teamed up with big names like SKF, CITGO PdVSA, and Caterpillar.
Image Credit: Wikipedia/Public Domain.
13. Matt Kenseth
Net worth: $60 million
Racing since he was 16 years old, Matt Kenseth now has a two-decade career and a plethora of victories under his belt. Kenseth’s many career highlights are winning the NASCAR championship in 2003, triumphing in the International Race of Champions in 2004, and clinching the Daytona 500 in 2009 and 2012. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and part-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for Joe Gibbs Racing, driving the No. 20 Toyota Camry. He is also the father of fellow racer Ross Kenseth.
Image Credit: Zach Catanzareti/FLickr.
12. Denny Hamlin
Net worth: $65 million
Denny Hamlin was racing go-karts at just seven years old. He has certainly come a long way now a prominent race car driver for Joe Gibbs Racing in the No. 11 car. He was named the 2006 “Rookie of the Year” in the Nextel Cup Series and won the MKA Manufacturers Cup at 15. Hamlin has notched up several significant wins in his career, like the 2010 Southern 500, the 2015 Sprint All-Star Race, and the 2016 Daytona 500. Impressively, he’s a three-time Daytona 500 champion. Over his career in the Cup Series, he’s raced 596 times and claimed victory in 48 of those races.
Image Credit: Virginia Office of the Governor/Wikimedia Commons.
11. Richard Petty
Net worth: $65 million
You don’t have to be a NASCAR die fan to know that Richard Petty or “The King,” is a household name in the sport. The racing legend has a record-breaking 200 wins and became the first driver to win the Cup Series championship seven times. Petty scored a record number of poles with 127 and had over 700 top-ten finishes in a record 1,184 starts.
Image Credit: All-Pro Reels/WikimediaCommons.
10. Dale Earnhardt Sr.
Net worth: $70 million
Dale Earnhardt Sr., often referred to as one of NASCAR’s all-time greats, had an incredible career that left a lasting impact on the racing world. Known as “The Intimidator” for his fearless driving style, Earnhardt amassed a fortune of $70 million and a fanbase that spanned beyond just racing enthusiasts. His journey in the NASCAR Cup Series, from 1975 to his tragic passing in 2001, was nothing short of spectacular, with a tally of 76 Cup race wins and an impressive seven championships, tying him with the legendary Richard Petty.
Image Credit: IMDb.
9. Kevin Harvick
Net worth: $70 million
Kevin Harvick has 60 Cup Series wins and a total of 121 national series victories, placing him third in the all-time NASCAR rankings. President Barack Obama awarded him the 2014 NASCAR Cup Series championship, and ESPN recognized him as the best driver.
Image Credit: Zach Catanzareti/FLickr.
8. Kurt Busch
Net worth: $70 million
You may know Kurt Busch as the older brother of NASCAR driver Kyle Busch, but he’s also won 34 Cup races during his career. Busch is known for his talents on the track but he is also infamous for getting into public feuds with other NASCAR drivers off track.
Image Credit: Zach Catanzareti/FLickr.
7. Mark Martin
Net worth – $75 million
Mark Martin is a living legend in the world of NASCAR. Described by ESPN as “The best driver to never win a championship,” Martin scored 40 Cup Series wins and finished second in the NASCAR Cup Series standings five times, and third in the NASCAR Cup Series standings four times. Martin has the second-most wins of all time in what is now the Xfinity Series with 49.
Image Credit: TaurusEmerald/Wikimedia Commons.
6. Danica Patrick
Net worth: $80 million
The only woman on this list, Danica Patrick, is the most successful female racer in the history of American open-wheel racing. Patrick’s win at the 2008 Indy Japan 300 marks the only victory by a woman in an IndyCar Series race, and her third-place finish in the 2009 Indianapolis 500 is the highest ever achieved by a woman. Her hefty net worth, however, doesn’t come solely from her NASCAR career. She has also ventured into modeling and is a spokeswoman for several brands.
Image Credit: Morrison_2001/Wikimedia Commons.
5. Kyle Busch
Net worth: $80 million
Ranked as one of the greatest racing drivers of all time Kyle Busch has made a fortune from racing, and he’s been a huge winner on the track. Forbes listed him as the highest paid NASCAR driver in in 2020.
Image Credit: TaurusEmerald/Wikimedia Commons.
4. Tony Stewart
Net worth: $90 million
Tony Stewart is the only person to win a NASCAR, IndyCar, and championship.Over his long and illustrious career,Stewart has competed in 600 races and has earned 49 victories. He made a significant part of his wealth from endorsement deals with various companies. Retired from racing since 2016, Stewart has his own Sirius Satellite show, Tony Stewart Live, which he co-hosts with NASCAR reporter Matt Yocum.
Image Credit: Zach Catanzareti/FLickr.
3. Jimmie Johnson
Net worth: $170 million
Jimmie Johnson started racing motorcycles at four and evolved into one of NASCAR’s richest drivers and a household name worldwide. Jeff Gordon of Hendrick Motorsports spotted Jimmie Johnson’s talent and persuaded owner Rick Hendrick to sign him full-time for the 2002 Winston Cup Series, with Gordon co-owning his car. Johnson quickly proved his worth, finishing fifth in his debut season, then second in both 2003 and 2004, and fifth again in 2005. His breakthrough came in 2006 with his first Cup Series championship, followed by consecutive wins in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010, making him the first and only NASCAR driver to win five straight championships. Johnson, a true pop culture icon, has appeared in TV shows, movies, music videos, and video games, contributing to his impressive net worth of $170 million. Johnson is also deeply committed to charity, donating millions and actively participating in events.
Image Credit: Zach Catanzareti/FLickr.
2. Jeff Gordon
Net worth: $210 million
Jeff Gordon is more than just a racer; he helped skyrocket NASCAR into the mainstream, being portrayed in everything from documentaries to cartoons and game shows. The four-time Cup Series champ and a three-time Daytona 500 winner, as well as third in all-time Cup wins with a whopping 93 victories, Gordon was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2019. Gordon’s hefty net worth comes from his knack for business as well. He co-owns the No. 48 Chevrolet, which Jimmie Johnson drove to seven Cup championships. Plus, he’s got a stake in the No. 24 team.
Image Credit: Zach Catanzareti/FLickr.
1. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Net worth: $300 million
With the help of his father’s legacy and his own incredible talent, Dale Earnhardt Jr. became a racing royalty in the world of NASCAR. Voted NASCAR’s “Most Popular Driver” 13 consecutive times from 2003 to 2015, Earnhardt Jr. retired from racing after the 2017 Daytona 500. As one of the most famous celebrity athletes in the world, he also has a knack for doing business, owning a media production company, racetracks, auto dealerships, and a bar named Whisky River with multiple locations.
This article was produced and syndicated by MediaFeed.
Image Credit: Zach Catanzareti/FLickr.
More from MediaFeed
Peek inside NASCAR legend Tony Stewart’s luxury compound set on a prime hunting preserve
- 10 questions you should never answer if the police pull you over
- 30 awesome things we could do in the ‘70s that today’s kids have missed out on
Like MediaFeed’s content? Be sure to follow us.
Image Credit: Brock Childs/The Home Aesthetic.
