2013 IndyCar vs. NASCAR prize money
Below is a table of prize money awarded in IndyCar this year. Interesting to note, Carlos Munoz was third overall in prize money finishing second at Indy. He earned more than twice what James Hinchcliffe, who won three races, did.
In terms of driver prizes, there was a total of $15,610,165 awarded. $12,020,065 was from Indy 500!
While there is the Leader Circle, the questions has to be asked: how can IMS/IndyCar expect anyone to take the rest of the series seriously with such a disproportionate amount of money awarded for one race. Yes, it is the biggest race, but it seems they deliberately want it so big that it outweighs the importance of the remainder of the series. Like we said, the Hulman George family wants to keep the IndyCar series small (hence why races remain on NBC Sports Network) so the series can never again threaten their bread and butter, the Indy 500. As long as they sell a lot of tickets for the Indy 500, that's all that matters.
IndyCar
| 1 | Tony Kanaan | $2,438,355 |
| 2 | Scott Dixon | $1,628,005 |
| 3 | Carlos Munoz | $964,205 |
| 4 | Helio Castroneves | $738,755 |
| 5 | Ryan Hunter-Reay | $728,005 |
| 6 | Marco Andretti | $644,755 |
| 7 | Will Power | $593,255 |
| 8 | Simon Pagenaud | $557,805 |
| 9 | Ed Carpenter | $460,955 |
| 10 | Justin Wilson | $452,805 |
| 11 | Dario Franchitti | $437,805 |
| 12 | James Hinchcliffe | $402,955 |
| 13 | Charlie Kimball | $344,805 |
| 14 | Sebastien Bourdais | $337,805 |
| 15 | Takuma Sato | $334,805 |
| 16 | Josef Newgarden | $319,305 |
| 17 | E.J. Viso | $298,255 |
| T18 | Graham Rahal | $297,805 |
| T18 | Simona de Silvestro | $297,805 |
| 20 | Oriol Servia | $286,805 |
| 21 | Tristan Vautier | $277,305 |
| 22 | J.R. Hildebrand | $274,305 |
| 23 | Alex Tagliani | $263,255 |
| 24 | Ana Beatriz | $262,805 |
| 25 | A.J. Allmendinger | $261,155 |
| 26 | James Jakes | $252,555 |
| 27 | Townsend Bell | $237,255 |
| 28 | Ryan Briscoe | $230,555 |
| 29 | Buddy Lazier | $230,305 |
| 30 | Conor Daly | $227,305 |
| T31 | Sebastian Saavedra | $225,305 |
| T31 | Pippa Mann | $225,305 |
| T31 | Katherine Legge | $225,305 |
| 35 | Mike Conway | $65,000 |
NASCAR
| RK | DRIVERS | EARNINGS |
| 1 | JIMMIEJOHNSON#48 | $8,986,750 |
| 2 | MATTKENSETH#20 | $7,020,171 |
| 3 | KEVINHARVICK#29 | $6,602,918 |
| 4 | KYLEBUSCH#18 | $6,917,310 |
| 5 | DALEEARNHARDT JR.#88 | $5,903,433 |
| 6 | JEFFGORDON#24 | $5,891,614 |
| 7 | CLINTBOWYER#15 | $5,542,051 |
| 8 | JOEYLOGANO#22 | $5,671,817 |
| 9 | GREGBIFFLE#16 | $4,865,039 |
| 10 | KURTBUSCH#78 | $5,192,213 |
| 11 | RYANNEWMAN#39 | $5,603,716 |
| 12 | KASEYKAHNE#5 | $5,372,229 |
| 13 | CARLEDWARDS#99 | $5,855,345 |
| 14 | BRADKESELOWSKI#2 | $6,449,770 |
| 15 | JAMIEMCMURRAY#1 | $4,968,338 |
| 16 | MARTINTRUEX JR.#56 | $5,490,554 |
| 17 | PAULMENARD#27 | $4,794,609 |
| 18 | ARICALMIROLA#43 | $5,042,686 |
| 19 | RICKYSTENHOUSE JR.#17 | $5,420,869 |
| 20 | JEFFBURTON#31 | $3,937,583 |
| 21 | JUAN PABLOMONTOYA#42 | $4,847,783 |
| 22 | MARCOSAMBROSE#9 | $4,690,127 |
| 23 | DENNYHAMLIN#11 | $4,366,934 |
| 24 | CASEYMEARS#13 | $4,139,565 |
| 25 | MARKMARTIN#14 | $4,096,889 |
| 26 | DAVIDGILLILAND#38 | $3,839,547 |
| 27 | DANICAPATRICK#10 | $3,529,700 |
| 28 | DAVIDRAGAN#34 | $4,276,630 |
| 29 | TONYSTEWART#14 | $3,710,624 |
| 30 | DAVEBLANEY#7 | $3,439,987 |
| 31 | TRAVISKVAPIL#93 | $3,787,959 |
| 32 | J.J.YELEY#36 | $3,220,298 |
| 33 | DAVIDREUTIMANN#83 | $3,434,935 |
| 34 | BOBBYLABONTE#47 | $3,033,445 |
| 35 | A JALLMENDINGER#47 | $2,025,522 |
| 36 | DAVIDSTREMME#30 | $2,306,964 |
| 37 | MICHAELMCDOWELL#98 | $2,617,508 |
| 38 | TIMMYHILL#32 | $1,632,288 |
| 39 | KENSCHRADER#32 | $820,607 |
| 40 | MICHAELWALTRIP#55 | $694,209 |
| 41 | SCOTTSPEED#95 | $1,113,344 |
| 42 | TERRYLABONTE#32 | $718,975 |
| 43 | BORISSAID#32 | $193,881 |
| 44 | RONFELLOWS#33 | $171,348 |
| 45 | ALEXKENNEDY#19 | $190,405 |
| 46 | JUSTINMARKS#7 | $86,705 |
| 47 | SCOTTRIGGS#95 | $421,355 |
| 48 | VICTORGONZALEZ JR.#36 | $134,602 |
| 49 | BRIANKESELOWSKI#152 | $175,754 |
| 50 | TOMYDRISSI#87 | $125,095 |
| 51 | JACQUESVILLENEUVE#51 | $72,245 |
| 52 | JASONLEFFLER#19 | $47,550 |
| 53 | REGANSMITH#48 | $1,019,772 |
| 54 | AUSTINDILLON#33 | $1,533,233 |
| 55 | ELLIOTTSADLER#55 | $442,415 |
| 56 | TREVORBAYNE#21 | $1,373,814 |
| 57 | KYLELARSON#51 | $377,436 |
| 58 | MAXPAPIS#14 | $122,210 |
| 59 | PARKERKLIGERMAN#30 | $218,411 |
| 60 | JOSHWISE#35 | $2,980,321 |
| 61 | LANDONCASSILL#33 | $2,796,616 |
| 62 | JUSTINALLGAIER#51 | $396,537 |
| 63 | OWENKELLY#51 | $92,682 |
| 64 | JOENEMECHEK#87 | $2,791,968 |
| 65 | COLEWHITT#30 | $552,233 |
| 66 | BRIANSCOTT#33 | $92,718 |
| 67 | TONYRAINES#140 | $738,235 |
| 68 | RYANTRUEX#51 | $248,905 |
| 69 | MIKEBLISS#19 | $814,433 |
| 70 | BRENDANGAUGHAN#51 | $87,985 |
| 71 | REEDSORENSON#95 | $382,244 |
| 72 | SAMHORNISH JR.#12 | $77,725 |
| 73 | KEVINSWINDELL#30 | $72,675 |
| 74 | BLAKEKOCH#95 | $66,550 |
| 75 | PAULIEHARRAKA#152 | $72,245 |
| 76 | MORGANSHEPHERD#152 | $60,675 |
| 77 | JOHNNYSAUTER#98 | $115,500 |
| 78 | BRIANVICKERS#55 | $1,866,055 |