How much do NASCAR drivers make from sponsors? Breaking down the big money behind the stickers

Driving in one of the world's top motorsports series, NASCAR drivers are some of the highest-earning race car drivers on the planet. From hefty contract agreements to prize money earned from race wins and other accolades, the top-rated drivers in the series are well-compensated for their efforts, competing in one of the most dangerous sports in the world.

A big chunk of these earnings for the NASCAR drivers come from their high-profile sponsorship deals. Partnering with numerous brands across the country, drivers earn a handsome amount of compensation through such brand deals.

Some of the most popular and successful drivers on the track, such as Chase Elliott, earn just over $2 million from sponsorship deals (according to Yahoo Finance). A former Cup champion and a six-time recipient of NASCAR's Most Popular Driver award, Elliott has secured sponsorship deals with Hooters, Chevrolet, and NAPA, among other brands.

Veteran drivers such as Kyle Busch also secure a major amount of their earnings through endorsements. Busch, a two-time Cup Series champion and currently the highest-paid driver on the grid, earns a sum of $1.7 million through his sponsorship deals with Toyota, Interstate Batteries, Skittles, and other various brands.

Similar figures are earned by other veteran drivers such as Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, and Martin Truex Jr., with all of them earning a figure of over $1 million through sponsorships. Truex, who is the oldest driver on the circuit at the time of writing, has had notable sponsorship deals with Bass Pro Shops and Reser's Fine Foods in his career.

In contrast, however, one of the biggest challenges faced by up-and-coming drivers in the lower tiers of NASCAR is securing a sponsorship deal to help fund their racing careers.

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Who are the highest earners in NASCAR?

As mentioned earlier, Richard Childress Racing's Kyle Busch is the highest-paid driver in NASCAR at the time of writing. The 37-year-old racing icon earns a staggering figure of $16,900,000 per year (as per Diario AS), a testament to his success as one of the faces of the sport.

Meanwhile, Denny Hamlin, another veteran of the sport and a Joe Gibbs Racing stalwart, ranks second on the list with his salary of $13,100,000. While not a Cup champion, Hamlin's legacy in the sport is indelible. With over 50 race wins across his career that spans nearly two decades, Denny Hamlin's popularity and racing success make him one of the highest earners of the sport.

A driver who hung up his boots at the end of last season, Kevin Harvick used to be the third-highest earner on the circuit. The 2014 NASCAR Cup champion and a future Hall of Famer, Harvick, as a Stewart-Haas Racing driver, earned a figure close to $10,900,000 in his final season as a race car driver.

Martin Truex Jr., another veteran of the sport and a former Cup Series champion, makes a figure of $10,400,000 driving for Joe Gibbs Racing. Meanwhile, Brad Keselowski, a driver and team owner for his team RFK Racing and a former Cup champion, earns a figure close to $9,400,000, making him one of the highest-paid drivers on the circuit.

With the figures mentioned in the latter half of this article, it is evident that success and experience are the two pivotal parameters for a driver's financial success in NASCAR. While there are drivers who make their mark early on in the sport, it is usually a long-spanning career driven by consistency and regular success that paves the way for heightened affluence.