Chartered NASCAR teams currently earn between $7 million and $18 million per season before securing sponsorships, but despite this, they are reportedly losing about $2.2 million per car on average. NASCAR paid teams and race tracks a combined $670 million between 2023 and 2024, generating a total profit of $340 million during that period.
This financial data emerged during an antitrust lawsuit filed by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports against NASCAR. The lawsuit centers on claims that NASCAR, which owns most race tracks, controls team payments, dictates the suppliers for next-generation cars, and sets the base fees teams must pay to compete, yet fails to offer a sustainable economic model for teams to run competitive stock car racing operations.
Recently disclosed documents gave rare insight into NASCAR’s finances, revealing charter team agreements, financial statements from the past decade, and basic revenue and expense reports from 12 teams dated 2020 to 2024. However, some discrepancies remain due to varying accounting practices and potential shared costs across different motorsport divisions owned by teams. For example, Penske purchases Pennzoil and Shell fuel at discounted rates for its trucking business.
According to the 2023-24 NASCAR report, NASCAR’s comprehensive income was $103 million in 2024 compared to $537 million in 2023, largely due to the sale of California Speedway land for $543 million. NASCAR’s total revenue hit $1.7 billion in 2024. With ownership of 17 tracks valued at about $1.186 billion after depreciation, NASCAR’s assets include land worth $349 million and facilities, buildings, and equipment valued in the hundreds of millions. Lease expenses for key properties amounted to $46 million, and income taxes for 2024 stood at $8.9 million.
From the charter agreements, teams receive a base payment of $141,000 per race, plus nearly $185,000 per event based on recent point finishes, averaging $330,000 per event for most teams, and $488,000 for top performers. Championship teams receive 8.4% of the season’s points fund, with this year’s top payout at $2.84 million. Total payouts to teams increased to $431 million in 2025 from $333 million in 2024.
When examining individual race earnings, open teams would earn around $2.9 million for running all races based on prize money alone, while charter teams would make between $11 million and $12 million due to entry fees and performance bonuses. Notably, 23XI Racing, Front Row Motorsports, and Kaulig were excluded from some financial disclosures as part of the legal process.
In 2024, just three teams made a profit, with only one exceeding $150,000 profit per car. Conversely, some reported losses of up to $10 million per car. Revenue per vehicle ranged from $8.2 million for the lowest earners to $43 million for the top teams, yet the average loss per car was just over $2.2 million in 2024.
Fan Take: This financial transparency reveals the tough economic realities facing NASCAR teams, highlighting the struggle to remain financially viable despite substantial payouts. For fans, these revelations underscore the importance of an equitable economic model to ensure competitive racing and the long-term health of the sport.
