There have been races ever since people began riding other animals. People are addicted to speed and appreciate the suspenseful finale of races, whether they involve chariots or lone riders. Despite the fact that chariot racing is no longer popular, bigger, meaner beasts known as race vehicles have taken its place.
10. Denny Hamlin
Denny Hamlin comes in at number 10 among the highest-paid race car drivers. He competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series full-time for Joe Gibbs Racing and the Xfinity Series on occasion.
He also won the 2015 Sprint All-Star Race, 2014 Aaron’s 499, 2010 Southern 500, three Sprint Unlimited races, and the Budweiser Duel. He also won the 2016 Daytona 500. (twice).
Initially a promising rookie, he took home the 2006 Nextel Cup Series Rookie of the Year award. Now that he makes $15.1 million annually, he is among the wealthiest stock car racers.
9. Kevin Harvick
Kevin Harvick is in ninth place. He competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in a Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Hass Racing. A part-time driver in the Xfinity Series is Kevin.
He has won the Xfinity Series twice and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series once. He ranks third in the Xfinity Series in terms of wins with 46 and holds the 8-win record for the cup at Phoenix International Raceway.
With a salary of $15.5 million, it makes sense that he is one of the highest paid stock car racers given his successful career.
8. Nico Rosberg
Nico Rosberg is the eighth-highest-paid racing car driver. Because racers like Vettel, Alonso, and Hamilton are around, he is grossly underappreciated.
Despite this, Nico is one of the strongest racers right now. He finished second last year and is now leading Lewis Hamilton by 26 points in the 2016 F1 Championship.
He has competed in races for both Finland and Germany due to his mixed citizenship. Although he was one of the highest-paid F1 drivers last year with earnings of $19 million, we believe he will receive a raise this year.
7. Jeff Gordon
Jeff Gordon is the seventh-highest-paid race car driver. Even though Jeff Gordon is 45 years old, there are times when it seems like he has been competing for as long as we can remember.
He ranks third on the list of all-time Cup wins with 93 victories, making him one of the greats of NASCAR’s modern era. He has won the Daytona three times and has won the Sprint Cup four times.
He frequently appears on lists of the greatest NASCAR racers ever, not only for his accomplishments but also for his tenacity. He made $21.6 million last year despite being in the latter stages of his career. He ranks among the top ten race car drivers in history.
6. Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson is the sixth-highest-paid racing car driver. He has won the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series six times and competes in stock car racing.
The only driver in NASCAR history to claim five straight championships is him. He earned his sixth title in 2013, putting him only two championships behind Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt.
He is one of the highest-paid NASCAR drivers with earnings of around $22.2 million the previous year.
5. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is ranked fifth among race car drivers in terms of pay. Given that his father, Dale Earnhardt, is a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame and one of the sport’s most contentious sportsmen, racing is in his blood.
He is one of the greatest NASCAR drivers ever and from 2003 to 2015, he earned the Most Popular Driver Award thirteen times in a row. Dale has had particular success at the Daytona International Speedway, earning him the nickname “Pied Piper” of Daytona for his exploits there.
He twice triumphed in the Daytona 500. With a total income of $23.5 million from prizes and endorsements, he truly is one of the wealthiest race car drivers in history, with a net worth of $300 million.
4. Kimi Raikkonen
Kimi Raikkonen is the fourth-highest paid race car driver. He is used to receiving sizable checks. According to reports, this F1 driver who won the Championship in 2007 during his first season with Ferrari was paid $51 million year!
He was the fifth best paid sportsman in the world and the 26th highest paid personality in 2008. It makes sense why he is among the wealthiest race car drivers in the world.
He made $27 million in salary and endorsements last year, which is perhaps half of what he made in 2007 but is still sufficient to place him fourth on our list.
3. Sebastian Vettel
Sebastian Vettel is in third place. Vettel, who is only 29 years old, is already regarded as one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time.
As a young phenom, he set numerous records for the youngest drivers, including the youngest to start in a Grand Prix official practice session, gain championship points, seize the lead, finish first, and win the pole position. However, other racers later improved a few of these.
He experienced a stretch of unheard-of success when he won four straight F1 World Driver Championships. He was the fourth individual to ever win four or more championships, making him the sole one. He was one of the highest paid race car drivers last year with a whopping $32 million in earnings.
2. Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso is ranked second among race car drivers in terms of pay. One of the top Formula One racers in the world is this Spaniard. He started driving when he was three years old and entered kart racing, where he went on to win three championships in a row.
He was 22 when he won the Grand Prix, making him the youngest winner ever. Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen later beat him to the title.
He is one of the highest-paid racers, earning $34 million last year.
1. Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton is the highest-paid racing car driver, coming in at number one. There are many reasons why Lewis Hamilton is arguably one of the best Formula One drivers in the world.
That he is the highest-paid F1 driver is therefore not shocking. His profits are out of this world, with a salary of $36 million and an additional $3 million in sponsorships.
In his successful career, he has 84 victories, 151 podium finishes, and three titles to his credit. He reportedly told McLaren team principal Ron Dennis, “I want to race for you one day. I was born to race. I’d like to compete for McLaren.
