NASCAR’s 2025 Daytona 500 purse has shattered records, with a whopping $30.3 million up for grabs. That’s nearly double the Indianapolis 500’s $17 million payout, proving just how massive the Great American Race has become.
But as excitement builds for Daytona Speedweeks, frustration is brewing over the staggering pay gap between NASCAR’s premier Cup Series and its lower divisions. The Xfinity Series purse sits at $3.76 million, while the Truck Series is left with just $1.26 million—a fraction of what Cup drivers will take home.
The disparity isn’t new, but with NASCAR securing a $7.7 billion media rights deal with Amazon Prime, TNT, and The CW, the frustration is reaching a boiling point.
Brad Keselowski Warned Us: The Truck Series is a “Money Loser”
Back in 2017, Brad Keselowski didn’t mince words when talking about the financial struggles of NASCAR’s lower divisions.
“It’s a money loser… big time,” he said after his Truck team, BK Racing, lost $1 million per season. That was over a decade ago, and not much has changed.
Fast forward to 2025, and the sponsorship struggles are worse than ever:
- Denny Hamlin lost FedEx, his primary backer for nearly two decades.
- Christian Rose was forced out of his Truck debut just four days before the race due to lack of sponsorship.
With these funding gaps, many are questioning:
🤔 If NASCAR’s Cup Series is thriving, why aren’t those financial benefits trickling down?
The Uncomfortable Truth: NASCAR’s Pay Structure is Wildly Unbalanced
The gap between the Cup Series and the lower divisions is nothing new, but the latest Daytona payouts have reignited the debate.
🚨 2025 Daytona 500 Purses:
✅ Cup Series: $30,331,250
✅ Xfinity Series: $3,762,952
✅ Truck Series: $1,262,900
That means:
⚠️ The Truck Series purse is only 4% of the Cup purse!
⚠️ The Xfinity payout is just 12% of what Cup drivers will earn.
This isn’t just a Daytona issue. The Bristol Motor Speedway weekend in 2024 had a similar divide:
- Cup Series purse: $8,182,531
- Truck Series purse: $761,274 (almost 10 times lower!)
One fan sarcastically summed it up best:
💬 “Truck drivers will only get new floor mats and a commemorative keychain.”
Where’s the Money Going? NASCAR’s $7.7 Billion Question
With a massive $7.7 billion media rights deal set to begin in 2025, fans expected payouts across all levels to increase. Instead, it feels like the Cup Series is the only one cashing in.
🔎 Questions NASCAR Needs to Answer:
1️⃣ Why is the Truck Series still struggling for survival despite record media deals?
2️⃣ If Cup teams are getting charter money and a record Daytona purse, why aren’t Xfinity and Trucks seeing similar growth?
3️⃣ Does NASCAR actually care about keeping the lower divisions financially viable?
Will NASCAR Fix This—or Keep Prioritizing Cup Teams?
At some point, NASCAR needs to decide what it wants its development series to be. If Xfinity and Trucks continue struggling, young talent may be forced to look elsewhere for opportunities.
For now, the message from NASCAR is clear:
💰 If you’re not in Cup, you’re not getting paid.
🚨 Is this NASCAR’s biggest financial problem? Should Xfinity and Trucks get a larger share of the media deal? Sound off in the debate.
