As many of you know I am new to the world of sprint cars. I was raised in a drag racing family and know the work that goes into putting any machine on the track for a night of fun.

I have what I would call a simple question and I am sure this varies from owner to owner but what does the driver typically take home from the purse?

For instance Sunday night Weir won the feature at TSS and took home $3000 but driving the 1G or G1 for Scott Gorby (I think that was his name)

Since the purses are fairly small compared to several other types of racing (WoO for instance) how do these drivers survive? I am only talking about drivers who drive strictly for someone else and not their own stuff.

Like I said most people can only speculate but many of you have been around longer than me.

I do not really want specifics on any driver as this is their business and that is not why I am asking. It just seems to me with the small purses and the number of drivers scrambling to take home the $$$ this could be very tough for some of them.

Do most of these guys get a flat fee before the race or get a share of the purse?

It's usually based on a percentage of the nights winnings. I'd say normally along the lines of 60% to the owner and 40% driver or 70/30. I've doubt you would find any situations where the driver is paid a flat fee before the nights racing.

You will be hard pressed to find anyone running strictly local shows that is making their living driving a sprintcar although there are probably some out there. Most have a full or part-time job with race winnings being used for additional racing expenses such as gas to the track or pit passes etc..

Some of the teams that I' ve worked for have paid as much as 50% of the purse to the driver if he won a race, but the norm for the various teams has been a 60/40 split, with the driver getting 40% of what the car made.

So if the car finished near the back and made $200, the driver got $80.......

Jason, some drivers get 40% and some 30% depends on who you are driving for. I think when I drove for Hoffmans it was 40% and 50% to win. But I would say most drivers are driving for nothing. I know when I drove for my dad all of the purse money usually went back into the car. It really just depends on the situation. I can only think of a few drivers that are making a living driving a non wing sprint car. I would say Levi Jones, Tracy Hines, and Brad Sweet probably do this full time without another job. I have heard that Clauson is still making his income through his contract with Gannasi, Tim or Bryan would have to clarify that. I hear Brady Shorts dad pays him to drive and to take care of the car so he makes a living just racing. But I know Stanbrough has a fab shop to survive. If you look at the purse dollars compared to their percentage there is really no way they can make a decent living driving non wing sprint cars without some other kind of income. This has bothered me for years I would drive for free and did basically my whole career but what about the guy that wanted to do it full time. You can't do it and support a family the numbers just are not there. The only way is to go wing racing. I did some research and here are some of the results.

USAC 43 races 10 are pavement Terre Haute purse:1. $5,000 2.$2,500 3.$1,500 4. $1,100 5. $850 6. $800 7. $700 8. $675 9. $650 10. $625 11. $600 12. $575 13. $550 14. $525 15. $500 16. $475 17. $450 18. $425 19. $400 20.$400 21. $400 22. $400

I am going to give examples if you won every show, averaged a 5th place, and 10th place at 40%
1st: 215,000.00 40%= 86,000.00 5th: 36,550.00 40%= 14,620.00 10th: 26,875.00 40%=10,750.00
What if the driver only ran dirt?

WOO 75 races: Tri State speedway purse: Steve Kinser Kinser Racing #11 150 10000.00
2 Joey Saldana Kasey Kahne Racing with Mike Curb 9 146 5500.00
3 Jason Sides Sides Motorsports 144 3200.00
4 Kerry Madsen VerMeer 55 142 2800.00
5 Sammy Swindell Tom Rolfe Racing 140 2500.00
6 Danny Lasoski Parsons Motorsports 138 2300.00
7 Danny Smith Danny Smith 136 2200.00
8 Craig Dollansky Kasey Kahne Racing with Mike Curb 19 134 2100.00
9 Tony Bruce, Jr. Bruce Racing 132 2050.00
10 Daron Clayton Clayton Racing 92 130 2000.00
11 Kraig Kinser Tony Stewart Motorsports 20 128 1500.00
12 Jac Haudenschild Carnahan Motorsports 126 1200.00
13 Brooke Tatnell Titan Racing USA 124 1100.00
14 Jason Meyers Elite Racing Team 122 1050.00
15 Tim Kaeding Roth Motorsports 120 1000.00
16 Lucas Wolfe Allebach 118 900.00
17 Paul May May 116 800.00
18 Tommy Worley, Jr. Worley 114 800.00
19 Terry McCarl Big Game Motorsports 112 800.00
20 Joey Moughan Davis Racing 110 800.00
21 Randy Hannagan Terry Hannagan Racing 108 800.00
22 Donny Schatz Tony Stewart Motorsports 15 106 800.00
23 Sam Hafertepe Jr. Plumbfast Racing 15H 104 800.00
24 Brian Ellenberger Brian Ellenberger Racing Inc. 102 800.00

1st: 750,000.00 40%= 300,000.00 5th: 187,500.00 40%= 75,000.00 10th: 150,000.00 40%= 60,000.00

The WOO also gives there teams show up money on top plus pit pass help.

All stars 44 races I couldn't find the purse but pretty sure on my figures if anyone finds out different please correct.
1st:5,000.00 5th:2,000.00 10th:1,000.00

1st: 220,000.00 40%= 88,000.00 5th: 88,000.00 40% 35,200.00 10th: 44,000.00 40% 17,600.00

All Stars also offer show up and pit help to there top teams.

Local using Lawrenceburg because they post their full purse using 50 local races:
Sprint Cars Feature
1. $1,500
2 .$800
3. $600
4 .$400
5. $350
6. $300
7. $275
8. $250
9. $225
10. $225
11. $225
12. $225
13. $225
14. $225
15. $225
16. $225
17. $225
18. $225
19. $225
20. $225

1st: 75,000.00 40%= 30,000.00 5th: 17,500.00 40%= 7,000.00 10th:11,250.00 40% 4,500.00

THE REASON I POSTED THIS IS TO MAKE A POINT TO ALL OF YOU YOUNG DRIVERS OUT THERE THINKING YOUR GOING TO MAKE A CAREER OUT OF SPRINT CAR RACING. EVEN IF YOU WIN EVERY RACE AFTER YOU PAY FOR YOUR FUEL TO GET THERE, YOUR PIT PASS AND MAYBE A HOTEL THERE IS NO WAY TO MAKE A DECENT LIVING DOING THIS. SO GET YOUR EDUCATION DO NOT PUT ALL OF YOUR EGGS IN THIS RACING BASKET. YOU CAN DO BOTH LOOK AT RYAN NEWMAN PURDUE GRAD AND IN NASCAR. I DROPPED OUT OF COLLEGE THINKING I WAS GOING TO BE A FULL TIME RACE CAR DRIVER AND IT DIDNT WORK OUT. I REGRET MY DECISION NOT TO FINISH COLLEGE. I COULD HAVE STILL RACED AND GOT MY EDUCATION. NOW OUR BUSINESS IS IN TROUBLE AND WHILE I HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT JOBS AVAILABLE EVERYONE OF THEM REQUIRES A COLLEGE DEGREE. PLEASE LISTEN TO MY WORDS STUDY HARD AND RACE HARD. IF IT IS MEANT TO BE YOU WILL STILL MAKE IT BUT IF IT DOESN'T YOU WILL STILL HAVE SOMETHING TO FALL BACK ON. I JUST HAD THIS SAME CONVERSTATION WITH KENNY NIFLIS'S FATHER A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, HE SAID KENNY WANTED TO RACE SPRINT CARS FULL TIME AND I JUST EXPLAINED ALL OF THESE SAME POINTS TO HIS FATHER. HOPEFULLY ONE DAY IT WILL CHANGE AND SPRINT CAR DRIVERS CAN MAKE A LIVING DOING WHAT THEY LOVE TO DO BUT IN CASE THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN BE PREPARED.

Kevin's post should be made a sticky on the front page!! I didnt finish my college education when I was younger because I felt it got in the way of racing and having fun. I kid you not when I say I wish I could go back and do that stretch of my life over!!

Pit passes and transponder fees come out and the rest goes to Josh for the race car as he owns the business. Josh is in school to be a school teacher, works a full time job and two part time jobs to race. Sarah, Paul and I all contribute to the race car and like so many others the car is held together with duct tape and zip ties.

We are hopeing for a race cars for cash from Washington this winter.
Jerry #66j

Kevin Briscoe's comment hit the nail on the head. Don't think you are going to make a good living driving sprint cars. The only ones that have done it for years are Kinser, Haud, etc., driving the World of Outlaw trail. Those rides are hard to come by. I could have went to college right out of high school but just wanted to race too. I went back and recently got my degree in Business Administration from Indiana Wesleyan. I am starting my Bachelors program in October. Racing can take you some where if you are talented, lucky, and have alot of money behind you. Even then there are still no guarantees.

For all adults who think its too late to go back, don't!! Many people in my class were in there 40s and 50s. IWU offers an adult leap program. You are considered a full time student but go to class one night a week for 4 hours. You have several group projects and a fair amount of homework.

Apparently ex sprint car drivers have trouble locating the “Caps Lock” key on their keyboard!!! (Just kidding Kevin) Cannot agree with you more on the stay in school message. The percentage of athletes that can make their living as a pro is very small and you better have a backup plan because your career can be over in an instant.

Kevin is also correct in the percentage we pay our drivers is 50% for wins and 40% for anything else.

Rob Hoffman

All,
Thanks for the insight! I appreciate the post Kevin as that puts a lot of stuff in perspective. I have no intention on driving a car anytime soon but was just wondering how in the world some of these drivers can do this on a weekly basis. I know there are a few "Golden Children" as I like to call them who have no worries when it comes to the sport.

Thanks again!

JW

Great Post Kevin! Thanks for doing all that math, I've wondered the same thing about how these guy's do it. Now I have a better idea and I'm happy that someone told us all how it really is!