Denny Hamlin: “We’re way underpaid as race car drivers.”
“We’re way underpaid as race car drivers,” Hamlin told ESPN. “There’s no doubt, doing what we do, the schedule that we have and the danger that we incur every single week, NASCAR drivers should be making NBA, NFL money.”
“I’m sure this will be in some headline somewhere where Denny says drivers aren’t paid enough, but I’m basing it off all other sports.”
“I’m not including myself,” Hamlin made it clear that he’s paid fairly.
Related: Dale Earnhardt Jr comments on NASCAR Salaries
“I’m including the back half of the field — those drivers are risking the same amount I am and they should be paid a hell of a lot more.”
“There’s got to be a reset, and it doesn’t come from the drivers,” Hamlin said. “It comes from NASCAR helping the teams survive on a better basis. … There just has to be different revenue-sharing.”
Related: Kevin Harvick responds to Dale Earnhardt Jr’s salary comments
NASCAR Money
NASCAR is in year 3 of a 10 year TV deal. TV revenue generates an average of $820 million a year for the sport.
That money is collected an re-distributed through the industry based on a percentage. Currently, 65% of TV revenue gets handed to the tracks, 25% to the teams and NASCAR holds onto the remaining 10%.
The current TV deal doesn’t expire until 2024.
Author: Shane Walters
Links
Denny Hamlin
Website | Facebook
