How much is the NASCAR Cup Series purse for Atlanta? Comparing it with Daytona’s $30,331,250 price

The NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway has a total purse of $11,055,250 in 2025, significantly less than the Daytona 500's $30,331,250 this year. In contrast, the 2025 Daytona 500 featured a record-setting purse of $30,331,250, marking an 8% increase from the previous year's $28,035,991 and an 11% rise from 2023's $26,934,357.

The current figure comes from Jayski, a NASCAR Silly Season expert and a well-known source for NASCAR news and updates. His website, Jayski's Silly Season Site, has long been a go-to platform for NASCAR fans looking for the latest rumors, stats, and silly season news ahead of a new season.

The next race on the NASCAR calendar will be held at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, the 23rd of February. Writing on X, Jayski shared,

"Cup race purse this weekend: $11,055,250. Compared to $30,331,250 at Daytona."

The allocation of prize money in NASCAR differs by event, influenced by factors such as the prestige of a race and sponsorship deals. The Daytona 500, referred to as "The Great American Race," has the highest purse due to its status and the extensive media coverage it attracts. In contrast, while the Atlanta race is the main event in the series, it doesn't match Daytona's history and weightage, resulting in a smaller purse.

Looking back, in 1985 the total Daytona 500 purse surpassed one million dollars for the first time, with Bill Elliott winning the race. By 2025, the purse had risen to over $30 million. The distribution of the purse also varies. While NASCAR hasn't publicly disclosed the exact winnings for each position since 2015, it is estimated that the Daytona 500 winner receives approximately 8-10% of the total purse, translating to around $2.4 to $3 million in 2025.

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NASCAR's Car Numbering System: Understanding the Rules

NASCAR assigns car numbers to teams annually, retaining ownership of these numbers. Teams can request specific numbers, and NASCAR typically accommodates these requests, especially when multiple teams vie for the same number. In such cases, priority is usually given to the team that submitted their application first.

Regarding the use of three-digit car numbers, NASCAR's regulations stipulate that cars in the national series must have numbers ranging from 0 to 99. However, situations come up where more than one team is assigned the same number. To differentiate between these teams for owner points calculations, NASCAR assigns a three-digit number by adding a '1' (or '2' if three teams share the number) in front of the original number. For example, if two teams are assigned car number 7, one might be listed as 7, and the other as 17 in official records.

This system ensures clarity in points allocation and maintains the integrity of the competition. It's important to note that while the official records might show a three-digit number for administrative purposes, the cars themselves display their original two-digit numbers during races.

Therefore, to summarize, while NASCAR's car numbering system primarily utilizes numbers between 0 and 99, the assignment of three-digit numbers in official records is a practical solution to manage situations where multiple teams share the same car number.