Kyle Busch, Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson, and several others carved their path in NASCAR through raw ability and by stacking wins across the developmental ranks. But not every driver follows that same trajectory. In many cases, the deciding factor isn’t talent — it’s funding.
Drivers who can bring substantial sponsorship dollars or corporate backing often leapfrog more skilled competitors, simply because their financial support keeps the wheels turning.
In a sport where sponsorship fuels operations — from building engines to improving performance — money often talks louder than merit. That’s the reality Busch underscored during his appearance on GOLF’s Subpar podcast with Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz, echoing sentiments Joey Logano had shared just weeks earlier.
When asked how much money is typically required to secure a seat in each series, Busch was very candid. “Cup Series is probably around if you got six to eight million bucks,” he said. “Xfinity Series ride, if you’ve got between four-and-a-half to six million,” that’ll buy a seat. And for the Truck Series, “You probably need about three million bucks to run a truck.” Busch summed it up bluntly: racing is, by far, the most expensive sport to compete in.
Still, not everyone with financial backing leans on it forever. Busch cited William Byron as a clear example of someone who initially entered the sport with family support but earned his place at the top through results. Byron, funded early on by his father, has since risen to the Cup Series on the strength of his own performance.
“He worked at it. He was very smart and diligent at it,” Busch said. “And did a great job of being able to understand the vehicles and how to make himself successful in those vehicles.” Now paid to race at the highest level, Byron no longer relies on family funding — his talent does the talking.
Busch, who had to leave the Joe Gibbs Racing team due to sponsorship complications, knows firsthand how the economics of the sport can override even the strongest resumes. For him, the key is simple: talent must meet opportunity, and without sponsorship to bridge the gap, even the best drivers can find themselves on the outside looking in.
Joey Logano on why underperforming Xfinity drivers keep their seats
While Cup Series teams still collect significant payouts each weekend, Xfinity Series operations receive only a small slice of that revenue. As a result, many second-tier team owners rely heavily on drivers who can bring funding with them. That money often keeps the team afloat, covering travel, equipment, and race-day operations. But in doing so, these teams sacrifice their leverage.
Joey Logano addressed this dynamic, highlighting a major shift in the sport’s structure. He noted that while he has been paid to drive for the past 15 years, the current landscape often sees drivers paying for their seats instead. And when money is driving the decision, performance takes a back seat.
“It takes a lot for a race team to say, ‘You can’t drive our car anymore,’ when you’re bringing millions of dollars to drive their car,” Logano said. He explained that many of these drivers grow accustomed to environments where no one pushes back or sets boundaries. So, when they make the leap to the Cup Series, where accountability is part of the culture, they often struggle to adapt.
