NASCAR purse 2021: Prize money available at Championship race in Phoenix

UPDATE: NASCAR wrapped up its championships this weekend in Phoenix. We don’t have the first place money, but we know the Cup Series Championship race features a total prize pool of $10,053,801. We cans safely guess that Kyle Larson received the bulk of the money.

NASCAR is wrapping up its Martinsville weekend on Sunday with the Xfinity 500. This marks the final race of the round of 8 in the playoffs, with the season wrapping up next weekend with the Cup Series Championship in Phoenix.

There is a whole lot of money to be won with the season-long championship, but Sunday’s Xfinity 500 will offer a purse of its own for the entry field. NASCAR announced that the total prize pool will be $7,778,099.

NASCAR used to offer a rundown of individual prize money, but in moving to the charter system, the organizing body has moved away from that. NASCAR guarantees revenues for charter teams based on race entrance, historical and current race performance, and there is also contingency money from the various sponsors.

The money is split between the driver and his or her team, but that has remained private information. Someone like playoff leader Kyle Larson, who has won three straight races, is likely doing plenty well for himself, but barring any kind of public release, we’ll never know for sure what he and his team are earning.

If you’re looking for more detail on how a team can do with prize money, BK Racing filed for bankruptcy in 2018 and had to provide a full accounting of its finances.