Kyle Larson says top dirt drivers earn more than some NASCAR Cup Series drivers
Kyle Larson shed a fascinating light on some surprising behind-the-scenes information regarding what some NASCAR Cup Series drivers are being paid.
As one of the top drivers in the sport and a past champion, Larson is likely in the upper-tier when it comes to a driver’s salary. However, many of his peers in the Cup Series aren’t making nearly what many think, and Larson even believes the top dirt racers are taking home more money when it’s all said and done.
During an appearance on the Kenny Wallace Show, Larson elaborated on his belief, and explained that even the top wheelmen in 2024 aren’t making what drivers of yesteryear made, like Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon.
“I make a really good living. I’m totally happy with my contract and all that. But, it’s still not anywhere near the level, probably not even half of what Jimmie [Johnson] was getting paid in his heyday,” Larson said, per Matt Weaver of Sportsnaut. “I know I’m making way more than a good majority of the field. I don’t really know what to think. But, I think a lot of guys are just happy to say they’re a Cup Series driver and they don’t care. They just want to be there and racing on Sundays. That just hurts the whole overall driver’s side of it, trying to have leverage for some of these drivers to make more money.”
“I bet you the top 4 drivers in the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series are making more money than a third to half of the Cup Series guys. Probably half of the Cup Series guys. That’s pretty crazy to think about. But, everybody chooses their own route, I guess.”
At the least, Larson acknowledges that he’s in the upper-tier, but even that’s not near what the drivers of the past were making to get behind the wheel. Perhaps that has to do with the sport’s popularity compared to the decade prior, or the fact that it seems drivers were simply more marketable back then.
Regardless, the tidbit about certain dirt racers making more than some of Larson’s fellow Cup Series drivers would’ve been an insane thought years ago.
Now, it’s difficult for a young driver looking to make a name for themselves to command a larger salary, and with the money going to so many different places, the numbers actually make some sense when you think about it.
Nevertheless, Kyle Larson will look to continue being one of the faces of the Cup Series, and win his second title in 2024. If he does so, he’ll be in-line for a raise, but maybe not to the level of where Jimmie Johnson’s seven-time champion check was.