The massive disparity in pay across NASCAR’s national series is nothing new. The Cup Series stands as the premium racing division, so Cup drivers naturally earn more money. But the latest payout figures for Bristol weekend raise a pointed question: exactly how much more should they make than their Xfinity and Truck Series counterparts?
The purse figures for this weekend at Bristol expose the vast financial canyon between the Cup Series and NASCAR’s other national touring series, highlighting an inequality that’s becoming harder to ignore as viewership trends shift across the sport.
What Do the Bristol Purse Numbers Reveal About NASCAR’s Pay Structure?
Senior NASCAR reporter Bob Pockrass took to X to disclose the payout numbers for the NASCAR races at Bristol this weekend, and the figures are staggering.
“Purses for Bristol weekend, including all payouts, all positions, contingency awards, contribution to year-end points fund, etc.; and for Cup, all charter payouts for racing and past couple years performance,” Pockrass wrote.
The Cup Series purse totals $10,447,135, nearly 10 times larger than the Xfinity Series’ $1,651,939. The Truck Series purse sits even lower at just $782,900. This means Cup drivers are splitting a pot more than 13 times larger than what Truck Series competitors are fighting for.
Why Are Cup Series Viewership Numbers Dropping Despite Massive Payouts?
Despite these enormous payout numbers, the Cup Series faces a troubling viewership decline. According to Adam Stern, 1.5 million viewers tuned in to the USA Network to watch the Enjoy Illinois 300 at Gateway last weekend.
That figure represents a significant drop from the 1.8 million people who watched the second playoff race last year. The comparison becomes even more stark when looking at the Gateway race’s TV audience from last year on Fox Sports 1, which drew 2.5 million viewers.
The broadcasting platform might play a role in these declining numbers. Amazon Prime’s five-race streaming window showed more promise, averaging over 2 million viewers during its broadcasts. However, even those numbers fell short of comparable races from the previous season, confirming that the Cup Series is facing a genuine popularity challenge while drivers continue collecting substantial paychecks.
How Is the Xfinity Series Bucking NASCAR’s Viewership Trend?
The Xfinity Series tells a completely different story. For the first time in nearly a decade, the opening 10 races of the 2024-25 Xfinity campaign surpassed one million viewers, showing remarkable consistency and growth.
“Even on a college football Saturday, the Xfinity Series race from St. Louis almost got 1 million viewers again on The CW. Final average was 989k,” NASCAR insider Jeff Gluck reports.
Several factors could explain Xfinity’s rising popularity. The series delivers a more entertaining racing package with shorter races and increased unpredictability that keeps fans engaged. Additionally, Xfinity drivers bring an intensity born from their hunger for success, as each race represents another opportunity to earn that coveted Cup Series promotion.
This competitive desperation often translates into more aggressive racing and dramatic finishes that casual fans find compelling. While Cup Series veterans might race more conservatively to protect championship points, Xfinity competitors are willing to take bigger risks for victories.
The reality NASCAR faces is stark: the Xfinity Series is attracting new viewers while the Cup Series loses them. These viewership trends, combined with the massive pay disparity revealed by the Bristol purse figures, suggest the sanctioning body should consider restructuring payouts to create a more reasonable gap between series. The sport’s future health might depend on properly investing in the divisions that are actually growing their audiences.