V8 Supercar Driver Salaries

[CowboyMatt]

In the middle of the Sunday Sport newspaper in Sydney there was a two-page spread talking about the salaries of the V8 drivers and how they far outstrip those of NRL / AFL players.

Lowndes was listed at $2.8m / Murphy and Skaife over $2mil + others.

Also quoted some of the footballers saying the supercar salaries were not excessive given the risks invloved and the lonely road to the top.

Made for interesting reading.

[El Cheapo]

Hi New member here. Also on the CC forums.

Here's some more info.

Lowndes - 2.55m
Murphy - 2.35m
Skaife - 2.25m
Courtney - 1.65m
Tander - 1.45m
R Kelly - 1.3m
Ingall - 950000
Bright - 750000
Whincup - 700000
S Richards - 700000

[hobby]

Welcome to the better forum El Cheapo

these figures blow me away the top 10 listed if my maths are right $14.65 mil they combined nearly make the wage of some CEO's in top companies.

i wonder how much the CEO of V8 supercars makes pa ?

[Holdennumber1]

Who does Skaife get payed by, because doesn't he own HRT.

[whitlam]

Who does Skaife get payed by, because doesn't he own HRT.


He would be payed by HRT just like any self employed person

[MP4/22]

What a Joke Courtney is getting paid 1.65 Mil !!!!! and the Kelly's, Tander, Winterbottom, Holdsworth, And Whincup are all LESS THAN HIM !!!!!! SBR are idiots....

[HRT 1-2]

Are these figures confirmed or speculative?

[El Cheapo]

I'm suprised too at the absense of Frosty in this top ten. Also suprised at Pringle being all the way up there:confused:

I have a feeling that Van Cheeseburger will be the next 'hot name':)

[carnut01]

i'd like to know if these figures are what the teams actually fork out for the drivers, or if this includes driver's personal sponsorships as well - ie; Lowndes having a contact with Ford as well as 888.

the reason for saying this is that if 888 are forking out 2.55m for Lowndes, that wouldn't leave much money left to run the race team as isn't there a budget / salary cap the v8 teams need to stick to?

[CowboyMatt]

i'd like to know if these figures are what the teams actually fork out for the drivers, or if this includes driver's personal sponsorships as well - ie; Lowndes having a contact with Ford as well as 888.

the reason for saying this is that if 888 are forking out 2.55m for Lowndes, that wouldn't leave much money left to run the race team as isn't there a budget / salary cap the v8 teams need to stick to?

Includes sponsorships / endorsements.

[R2J2G]

some pretty high numbers there, cant understand why courtney is getting so much, hes not exactly a lowndes or a murphy...
Oh well if teams and sponsors want to pay them that much then thats up to them.

[Chev_350]

i'd like to know if these figures are what the teams actually fork out for the drivers, or if this includes driver's personal sponsorships as well - ie; Lowndes having a contact with Ford as well as 888.

the reason for saying this is that if 888 are forking out 2.55m for Lowndes, that wouldn't leave much money left to run the race team as isn't there a budget / salary cap the v8 teams need to stick to?

IIRC budget cap has been scrapped, but yes this is a combined look at drivers salaries, the article stated Lowndes gets a base wage of $800,000 from the team, the rest is through sponsors.

[hobby]

Bev the retired former owner of biante maybe able to give us some insight into the kind of figures dished out in sponsership as biante were a major sponser of V8 teams,
and she only if she wants may tell us how much for example a biante sticker cost to put on lets say the front corner of the Holden racing team,
or Craig Lowndes helmet,
i have heard rumours but it is better if someone who knows first hand could inform us.

[Jace]

Just shows, just because you are the best driver it doesn't mean you get paid the highest salary. You just have to make the general public think you are the best, then you get a heap of endorsments....

[Leigh]

i'd like to know if these figures are what the teams actually fork out for the drivers, or if this includes driver's personal sponsorships as well - ie; Lowndes having a contact with Ford as well as 888.

the reason for saying this is that if 888 are forking out 2.55m for Lowndes, that wouldn't leave much money left to run the race team as isn't there a budget / salary cap the v8 teams need to stick to?

FWIU the budget cap all fell over...

[Designer]

some pretty high numbers there, cant understand why courtney is getting so much, hes not exactly a lowndes or a murphy...
Oh well if teams and sponsors want to pay them that much then thats up to them.

...he made to F1 testing and he's totally marketable...ask all the females.

[Brock 05]

Wincup will soon overtake Lowndes on salary only, if results keep going the way they have been. :p

[barnart]

Ingall paid $650,000
Holdsworth (no pay) works on his car 24/7 for the drive
Dumbrell pays for the drive from his Fruit juice stores and Daddy $$
Price Pays for the drive DPE (Dads Go kart manufactoring)

Back when Whincup drove for GRM Whincup paid $185,000 for the year

[Oh Five]

Find it hard to believe Murph is worth more than skaife. I follow both, but Skaife is in the flagship team and is the face of Holden/HSV:confused:

[Mux]

Very interesting indeed, with courtney remember he was on Dancing with the stars, i'm sure he got something either from the show or as a result of the show.

[beast]

Very interesting indeed, with courtney remember he was on Dancing with the stars, i'm sure he got something either from the show or as a result of the show.

Maybe hes sponsored by a car demolishian company. My spelling sucks, anyone help!!

[Mux]

demolition mate, you made hard work of that one haha.

I agree courtney should be sponsored by a well known panel beater, they'd never be out of work.

[berkut76]

If EL Cheapo data is on the spot, these are very respectable figures. With current exchange rates taken into account, the vast majority of NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers cannot boast such income to say nothing of DTM drivers. Needless to say, both German and the US internal markets are much greater than the Australian ones.

I'm starting to respect Ambrose for his decision to drive endlessly in circles. There is no way in hell he is making more than the top V8Supercars drivers driving in the Nationwide series.

Regards,

Sergey

[cooper1117]

A lot of the drivers make nothing while they are starting up so big dollars come late in thier careers, that's why guy's like Whincup are not in the Lowndes bracket yet!! When you think about the dangers of the sport it's not a bad price for the potential risk, and like all sports these dollars are not there for everyone, only the select few who "make it".

Another comment about Murph earning more than Skaife, maybe that has to do with his appeal with the NZ market for sponsors and advertising. Murph would have to be the prized advertising tool in NZ considering he is the 'Prince of Puky'.

[cooper1117]

Bev the retired former owner of biante maybe able to give us some insight into the kind of figures dished out in sponsership as biante were a major sponser of V8 teams,
and she only if she wants may tell us how much for example a biante sticker cost to put on lets say the front corner of the Holden racing team,
or Craig Lowndes helmet,
i have heard rumours but it is better if someone who knows first hand could inform us.


I had a friend in Fuchs in the accounting department who told me that it cost $750,000 per year per bonnet for the Fuchs logo on the Tasman cars.

[Chev_350]

Find it hard to believe Murph is worth more than skaife. I follow both, but Skaife is in the flagship team and is the face of Holden/HSV:confused:

Not really that hard to believe, Murf is big business in NZ, lending his name to a Burger King burger a couple of years ago and these days a pie, who knows what other deals are out there?

If EL Cheapo data is on the spot, these are very respectable figures. With current exchange rates taken into account, the vast majority of NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers cannot boast such income to say nothing of DTM drivers. Needless to say, both German and the US internal markets are much greater than the Australian ones.

I'm starting to respect Ambrose for his decision to drive endlessly in circles. There is no way in hell he is making more than the top V8Supercars drivers driving in the Nationwide series.


He wouldn't be making as much as a V8 driver but the Sprint Guys make a very very decent wage, in 2001 Jeff Gordon's salary became public knowledge due to his split with his missus, he earnt back then $450,000 a month from only his race team combined with sponsor deals, mechandise sales, race winnings the yearly total was over $20 Million.

[Oh Five]

Article in todays local rag (via AAP) that a few of the drivers are angry over the released figures. Murf stating " All i could ever wish for is that i was doing that well, and i know in this game I never will be".
"None of those numbers are even close,Its completely made up".
He also said " As long as I'm in V8SC there aint no chance in hell that I'll be anywhere near that, the football players have nothing to worry about".
Rick Kelly agreed saying he could only dream of making 1.3 mil."If i was really making that much I'd be searching for it, because its not where it should be- in my bank ac".
A driver manager also warned that the ATO could become involved.

[5murphy1]

Ingall paid $650,000
Holdsworth (no pay) works on his car 24/7 for the drive
Dumbrell pays for the drive from his Fruit juice stores and Daddy $$
Price Pays for the drive DPE (Dads Go kart manufactoring)

Back when Whincup drove for GRM Whincup paid $185,000 for the year

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere Van Gisbergen's Dad paid for his sons drive with SBR