Money drives best drivers to NASCAR

The funding has dried up in U.S. open-wheel racing during the 11 years since political infighting split the sport into two major series. In Champ Car this season, Sebastien Bourdais has won $611,000 while marching toward a fourth consecutive championship. Dario Franchitti won $4,017,583 for this year's IRL IndyCar title.

Of the top 25 drivers in Nextel Cup, 15 have earned more than Franchitti, including nine who are winless. The top 49 have earned at least $1 million, and their income is supplemented by base salaries and merchandise sales.

Casey Mears left Indy cars for NASCAR in '02 because he was worried about the stability of Champ Car and IRL. Each series lacks title sponsors and has struggled to attract funding for its teams, which has limited the number of available rides. IRL and Champ Car races draw 16 to 18 cars on average.

"There's no question open-wheel racing just keeps getting worse in the U.S.," says Mears, who drives for powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports and is the nephew of four-time Indy 500 winner Rick Mears.

"That's the biggest reason why you're seeing guys come over here. It's not, 'Hey, I want to go stock car racing like I've dreamed all my life.' It's, 'Wow, there's nothing there. I've got to go stock car racing to make a living.' There's nowhere else to go."

Agent Glen Hinshaw says Speed had several better-paying offers to race in Champ Car or the IRL that were outweighed by NASCAR's long-term economic viability. A.J. Allmendinger made the same decision this year, leaving for Cup after a five-win 2006 season in Champ Car.

"In the long term, if I make NASCAR work, am I going to make more money? Hell yeah," Allmendinger says. "But it also was that I was in a series that I didn't know was going to be around the next year." USA Today