NASCAR’s highest-paid drivers list reflects completely differently than the final standings of last season’s NASCAR Cup Series standings. Although Kyle Busch‘s 20th place finish, including five DNFs [did not finish], he remains on top of the list dominated by Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports.
The most recent NASCAR financial report from Front Office Sports revealed the highest-paid drivers of the 2024 season. Busch held the top spot by nearly $3 million. His Richard Childress Racing teammate Austin Dillon tied for ninth place with Alex Bowman at $3.5 million.
Busch and two Joe Gibbs drivers, Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr, were the top three drivers to top the financial standings. The driver of the No. 8 Chevy Camero was the only of the three drivers not to meet the criteria to qualify for the Cup Series Playoffs.
Busch’s best finishes of the season came back to Darlington and Daytona, where he secured back-to-back second-place finishes. He started in No. 17th during the Goodyear 400 and climbed through the field to earn 35 points. His performance at Daytona was similar, and he led for eight laps and finished second while collecting 39 points.
He had a rough mid-season stretch in the summer, recording three 35th-place finishes at New Hampshire, Iowa, and WWT Raceway. Other low points in the season were a 32nd-place crash-out finish at Pocono Raceway and a 25th-place finish at Indianapolis. Poor finishes often came from mechanical issues and a lapse of judgment around corners, leaving Busch unable to finish on 12 top ten qualifying positions.
At WWT Raceway, Busch led 15 laps but finished 35th, earning only two points. He spoke about his disappointment at missing the playoffs after finishing second in the Southern 500.
“Something to build on and get better for. We just missed a lot in the early part of the year, through the middle part of the year, to put ourselves in this spot, to be on the outside looking in,” he said. “To come in here for a last-ditch effort and have a shot.”
“Maybe I am a washed up old dog, but hopefully I can find a few more trophies…I wanted it last week,” he continued. “I wanted it this week. I wanted it in Atlanta. I wanted it in Vegas. There’s been a lot of opportunities.”
2024 NASCAR Highest-Paid Drivers
Kyle Busch – Richard Childress Racing: $16.9 million
Denny Hamlin – Joe Gibbs Racing: $13.1 million
Martin Truex Jr. – Joe Gibbs Racing: $10.4 million
Brad Keselowski – RFK Racing: $9.4 million
Joey Logano – Team Penske: $9 million
T-6. Kyle Larson – Hendrick Motorsports: $8 million
T-6. Chase Elliott – Hendrick Motorsports: $8 million
Daniel Suarez – Trackhouse Racing: $4.5 million
Michael McDowell – Front Row Motorsports: $3.7 million
Alex Bowman – Hendrick Motorsports: $3.5 million
T-9. Austin Dillon – Richard Childress Racing: $3.5 million
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – JTG Daugherty Racing: $3 million
Erik Jones – Legacy Motor Club: $2.3 million
Bubba Wallace – 23XI Racing: $2.2 million
Ross Chastain – Trackhouse Racing: $2.1 million
Ryan Blaney – Team Penske: $1.9 million
William Byron – Hendrick Motorsports: $1.8 million
Ryan Preece – Stewart-Haas Racing: $1.6 million
Chris Buescher – RFK Racing: $1.5 million
Tyler Reddick – 23XI Racing: $1.3 million
Chase Briscoe – Stewart-Haas Racing: $1.2 million
Timmy Hill – Power Source: $900,000
Christopher Bell – Joe Gibbs Racing: $800,000
Cole Custer – Stewart-Haas Racing: $500,000
Anthony Alfredo – Our Motorsports: $330,000
This news appeared first on @Express
