Indy Car
The Richest Races in American Motorsports
Everyone loves a payday. Winning one of these races yields a really, really good payday. C.R.E.A.M.
Alexander Rossi celebrates at the Indy 500
© Getty Images
America loves motorsports, and America loves money. Even more so, America loves quick money. The “get rich quick” dream is one at least slightly engrained in just about every mind in the land of the free. Race series throughout the world like Formula 1 and MotoGP can mean big money for drivers, riders, and teams, but here in America, there are a few single events that yield incredible paydays for the guys at the top of the podium. Let’s take a look at some of them:
The start at Indy
© DPPI
Indianapolis 500 – Indy Car
Total purse: $13 million
First place winnings: $2.5 million
(According to Indianapolis Motor Speedway)
It’s one of the biggest sporting events in American history, and the staple show of Memorial Day. The Indianapolis 500 is 200 laps around the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and the race that gave birth to the entire IndyCar genre of auto racing. Indy may seem like Formula 1’s American little brother at times, but the Indy 500 is a race that eclipses even most F1 events in terms of prestige and popularity. Thus, the purse is gigantic. In 2016, the field of 33 cars vied for a piece of the $13.4 million purse, of which a cool $2.5 million went to the winning car of rookie Alexander Rossi
The Daytona 500
© Getty Images
Daytona 500 – NASCAR
Total purse: $18 million
First place winnings: $1.5 million
(According to NBC Sports)
American’s love their NASCAR, and no race in the world of left turns takes precedence over the Daytona 500. Probably America’s second most famous speedway to the one mentioned above, Daytona International Speedway hosts NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series for 500 miles of banked turns and heavy drafting. After all is said and done, the winning car walks [drives] away with around $1.5 million of the $18+ million purse.
James Stewart and Ryan Villopoto at Monster Cup
© Ryne Swanberg
Monster Cup – Supercross
Total purse: $250,000
First place winnings: $100,000 (potentially $1 million)
(According to SupercrossLive.com)
For a few years at the turn of the millennium, Las Vegas played host to what was then the richest race in motocross/supercross – the US Open of Supercross. Held in the ridiculously tight confines of the MGM Grand Garden Arena, the winner of the race pocketed $100,000. The race soon went defunct, but has been resurrected in significantly bigger fashion in the Monster Cup, held in Sam Boyd Stadium on the outskirts of Sin City. The purse is still similar – the winner of the race the last three years has walked away with $100,000, but the Monster Cup presents another nugget of incentive to win races: a perfect 3-for-3 wins in the 10-lap main events nets the winner of the race a cash prize of $1 million. Only one rider has ever accomplished this feat – Ryan Villopoto took home three main event wins in the first ever running of the event, and thus left the stadium with $1 million tightly secured in his suitcase.
The Knoxville Nationals
© Getty Images
Knoxville Nationals - Sprint Car
Total purse: $985,000+
First place winnings: $150,000
(According to Knoxville Raceway)
The world of sprint car racing is often overshadowed by its big brother, NASCAR, but at the Knoxville Nationals, the open-wheelers take center stage. Its a four-day event that attracts even the Sprint Cup's elite to hop on the dirt and vie for a shot at the purse, which exceeds $1 million. Though there are many cash-paying races throughout the event, it all culminates with the A Feature, where the winner takes home $150,000.