How much does it cost to be a NASCAR driver?

NASCAR is the pinnacle of Stock car racing, where world's finest drivers compete against each other.

NASCAR Truck Series race at Talladega (Via IMAGO)

NASCAR is one of the most competitive motorsports series in the world. It is the pinnacle of Stock Car racing, owned by Jim France. The competition comes with an ardent and enthusiastic fan following which makes it highly populous in various parts of the world and NASCAR drivers role models. It’s not just driving, it’s a physical grind that involves coordination, guts, and crazy endurance.

While many dream of speeding away on the circuit only a handful make their way onto the track. One might imagine it is all about grit, skills, and passion for the sport but that is not it. But unlike many other sports skills isn’t the only factor that could have a significant impact on an athlete’s career. Racing demands huge monetary investment from the junior level.

NASCAR has a well-established ladder through which a racing prodigy can make it to the top, the Cup Series. The driver first has to impress in the Junior racing series, namely the Karting, Midget, and Micro Class races, before moving up the ladder to the late model series. Then the racer will look to land a seat in the top-3 national level championships, the Truck, Xfinity, and the Cup series. Succeeding in the 4th tier, ARCA Mendes Series is the best way to do it. Once a racer can land a seat in the Truck Series, he could theoretically with his talent impress the team and make it to the top.

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NASCAR is a sport that has grown in the USA and most of its fan base is in the the States. Right now, it exclusively races on US soil, but has raced in multiple countries in the past and has plans to do the same in the future. The most successful NASCAR racers such as Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, and Jimmie Johnson are from, making it an American sport with a worldwide fan base. Since most of its racers are from the states only, here is how much it will cost someone to race in NASCAR.

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What is the cost of becoming a NASCAR driver?

1) How much does it cost to race in the Karting Series?

Karting is the first step towards becoming a professional racer. It helps the young aspiring athletes to learn the basics of the sports and driving. It would also help them establish and showcase their talents against rivals of the same age group. According to reports Kartin in the USA costs an average of $10.000 a year.

2) How much does it cost to race midget race cars?

Midgets and Microcars are among the usual steps a racer with stock car aspirations usually takes. But despite its name, it requires a good investment to race just like in Karting. A midget car engine car cost between $400 to $8000 and the Chasi $150o to $6000. The cost of the tiers is $50 apiece. So to race the best set-up, an approximate investment of $14,000 to $15,000 is needed.

3) How much does it cost to race in late-model cars?

Late model series is usually the next step for many NASCAR aspirants. From this stage, The car is often too big and complex to operate without professional support, hence drivers will sign with teams to race for them. It takes $50,000 or more to field cars in the series for the teams. The racers and teams will seek more support from sponsors from this stage of their careers.

Billy Laycock (82) Chevrolet Camaro races Tony Jackson Jr (33) Bob Cullen Racing Chevrolet SS through turn three in the second World of Outlaws (WoO) Case Construction Late Models qualifying heat at the World Wide Technology Raceway (Via IMAGO)

4) How much does it cost to race ARCA Mendes Series cars?

The ARCA Mendes series is often one of the most important stages of a stock car racing prodigy’s career. It gives them the opportunity to prove their worth on the national stage against some of the most promising talents. According to various reports, the cost of racing in the 4th tier stock car racing is around $500,000 to $600,000 a season. So it will cost a racer from $20,000 to $30,000 a race. For a top team, this cost can go up to $1 million.

5) How much does it cost to race in the NASCAR Truck Series?

The NASCAR Truck Series marks the entry of a racer into the premier level and comes with a hefty prize tag. According to the most recent reports and revelations from drivers, on average, a team needs to find $2 to $4 million in funding to race full-time in a season. This means it will cost an average of $150,000 a race to field a race car in the series.

6) How much does it cost to race in the NASCAR Xfinity Series?

NASCAR Xfinity Series is the second division in the stock car racing tier list. It gives the racers the best opportunity possible to prove themselves to the racing community and the Cup Series teams. The average cost for racing in the series for midtable teams is around $5 million, it can go up to $8 million a season.

7) How much does it cost to race in the NASCAR Cup Series?

The Cup series is the peak of stock car racing, where the very best racers of the category face each other every season to find who is the best. Unlike the lower tiers, there will be a massive difference in the budget cap between teams, based on their size, brand value, and their racers. According to reports and rumors, costs can go as high as $25 million a season and as low as $3 million a season.