NASCAR Truck Series: How much money do drivers make?

The NASCAR Truck Series is the third of the three racing divisions run by NASCAR and is the only NASCAR series that races modified-production pickup trucks.

While NASCAR makes money by selling broadcasting rights (TV+ Digital), sponsorship deals, merchandise, etc., the drivers in the NASCAR Truck Series rely largely on winning races consistently and making themselves marketable to rake in sponsorships.

NASCAR Truck Series drivers are independent contractors, as are all NASCAR drivers, and don't have deals similar to that of a footballer or a basketball player. Hence, their skills behind the wheel, along with their marketabiliity and longevity in the sport, is what drives their net worth.

Having said that, a NASCAR Truck Series driver can pocket anywhere between $100,000 and $300,000 in base salary and another $200,000 in prize money.

NEWS: Inspection is complete.@benrhodes is your official winner once again! pic.twitter.com/EWeSBaqPGy

— NASCAR Camping World Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) February 20, 2021

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The drivers also compete to win performance-based cash prizes during the season.

In this regard, NASCAR Truck Series CEO Marcus Lemonis announced a series of bonuses and cash prizes for the 2021 season:

Ben Rhodes, the winner of the NextEra Energy 250 race at Daytona Feb. 12 pocketed a $25,000 driver bonus and the crew received the same amount of $25,000 as a road crew bonus.

The team leading the NASCAR Truck Series driver championship points standings after the Kansas Speedway race in May will receive a $50,000 road crew bonus. And the team in the lead after the Knoxville Raceway race in July will receive a $75,000 road crew bonus.

The team with a single-car entry that leads the most laps during the season will receive a $50,000 driver bonus and a $25,000 road crew bonus from Camping World, the NASCAR Truck Series sponsor.

The driver winning the championship will receive an electric pickup truck and a Lordstown electric (Class E) RV motorhome.

Camping World will also provide $100,000 as incremental bonuses to teams throughout the season.

You add all these bonuses and prizes to a NASCAR Truck Series driver's earnings and the figure is anything but shabby.

Having said that, becoming a NASCAR driver requires patience and years of hard work.

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Steps to becoming a NASCAR Truck Series driver

Sheldon Creed in action during the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Daytona Road Course, Feb. 19, 2021. Photo: Getty Images

The path to becoming a professional NASCAR driver may be long, but it can be well worth it.

First and foremost, one must attain a minimum age of 18 years and obtain a driver's license.

The next few steps can be getting used to go-karts or smaller race cars before graduating to racing bigger stock cars, taking part in local races, learning the mechanics of the car, and attending a NASCAR driving school.

There are a lot of drivers that take the next step to the NASCAR Truck Series after gaining experience driving Late Model stock cars, sprint cars or in the ARCA Menards Series.

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The road racing roots for several of the @NASCAR drivers competing at @DAYTONA this weekend were planted in the ARCA Menards Series📝➡️ https://t.co/4teP7qB4jp pic.twitter.com/fvrjmZcmVC

— ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) February 19, 2021

Getting an internship with NASCAR and passing the test to obtain a competition license can be a possible road ahead.

Not to forget that NASCAR is a costly business. In that context, one needs to win races consistently and have the ability to network with people to land sponsors.

Along with that, a NASCAR Truck Series driver needs to be physically fit and mentally strong.

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