According to Forbes Magzine, the top paid drivers in NASCAR’s premiere series are:

1. Jeff Gordon $32 million
2. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. - $31 million
3. Jimmie Johnson - $23 million
4. Tony Stewart - $19 million
5. Kasey Kahne - $14 million
6. Juan Pablo Montoya - $11 million
7. Matt Kenseth - $11 million
8. Kevin Harvick - $11 million
9. Kyle Busch - $10 million
10. Denny Hamlin - $10 million

Yeah, I think a few of those are extremely over paid. Can you guess who I’m talking about?

Obviously Jeff Gordon being a four-time Cup champion is going to be the top paid driver. He’s the biggest “legend” still driving in the series.

The only reason that Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is above two time Cup Champions Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson is because of his marketing brand and his popularity among the fans with the Earnhardt name.

Back away, Cujo. That is not a “diss” towards America’s favorite son, but it’s the cold, hard truth.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has not raced his way to be in that posistion and neither has Juan Pablo Montoya and Kasey Kahne.

Kahne is obviously the next best thing, marketing wise, to Dale Earnhardt, Jr. because of his “teen dream” persona and the girls go crazy over him. Montoya? I don’t think Ganassi is getting their money’s worth. If I were Matt Kenseth and Kevin Harvick, I would seriously think about my contract status considering someone who has only won one race makes more money than a former champion and a two-time Busch/Nationwide champion.

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