I have asked this very same question many times & it has never been answered!! If indeed it is only 10 grand , that doesn't even cover the tire bill for the year!!!!!
USAC pays better than any organization but NASCAR. They have a payroll over $1,000,000 ,and that is a fact !! That $10,000 # is to the car owner, the driver gets a cool ring! My last year at USAC they had a guy that did not even have a drivers license and he made more than the midget,sprint, and SC owner combined!!
It pays 10K to owner and 10K to driver. The individual driver championship payout was lower for the couple years they did the overall Driver of the Year.