“She really takes care of people” - NASCAR's Ken Schrader makes his feelings known on Taylor Swift's $197M bonuses to Eras Tour crew

Former NASCAR driver Ken Schrader recently sat down with his old friend and former competitor Kenny Wallace in the latest episode of “Herm and Schrader,” where they talked about various topics and then wrapped it with their takes on current events involving popular singer Taylor Swift. Schrader shared his thoughts on Swift’s remarkable generosity toward her Eras Tour crew.

According to several reports, Taylor Swift awarded her tour staff a staggering $197 million in bonuses over the past two years. In light of this, Ken Schrader expressed his admiration for Swift’s generosity toward her crew and praised her for taking care of her crew.

During the “Herm and Schrader” show, sharing his opinion on Swift’s move of giving $197M bonuses to the people who worked on her Eras Tour, the four-time NASCAR Cup winner said:

“That's great. I don't know anything about it; I wouldn't. I mean, I don't know anything about Taylor Swift. I wouldn't drive across town to see a concert,.. Yeah. You know, I don't care about concerts, but I mean, everything I've read, she really takes care of people. I think that's fantastic. And that's a lot of money, but you know, in reality, it's 10%.” [1:08:10]

Swift’s move to share a significant portion of her tour earnings with the crew, including production crew, dancers, choreographers, behind-the-scenes staff, and other roles, has drawn widespread praise across industries.

Taylor Swift's Eras Tour began with Glendale on March 17, 2023, and concluded in Vancouver on December 8, 2024, which includes 149 shows across five continents.

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“It's a little less than a 10% tip” - Ken Schrader on Eras Tour’s total earning

During the show, the 69-year-old Fenton, Missouri, native also claimed that the bonus pop superstar Swift had given to her crew was 10% of her total amount of earnings in the Eras Tour. Taylor Swift's Eras Tour grossed $2,077,618,725 from over 10.1 million tickets sold, making it the first tour in history to surpass $2 billion.

“It's a little less than a 10% tip. No, that's what it is. 200 million would be 10%,” Schrader said.

In reply, former driver and reporter Kenny Wallace said:

“So she grossed 2 billion. She gave basically 200 million.”

Ken Schrader is known for his versatile career in motorsports and had a long career in NASCAR as he competed at the Cup level for over three decades. He made 763 starts in the Cup Series, scoring four wins, 184 top-10s, and 23 poles.

Despite retiring from the sport after the 2013 season, Ken Schrader continues racing part-time on local dirt and asphalt tracks around the U.S.