Daytona purse dwarfs Indy 500

America’s richest, biggest and most prestigious motorsports event of the year, will once again carry the biggest purse in the history of stock car racing at more than $18 million. By comparison the Indy 500 purse is a paltry $10.5 million

The posted awards for the “The Great American Race" on Sunday, Feb. 18 will be $18,386,023. The posted awards for the 2006 Daytona 500, which was won for the first time by Jimmie Johnson, was $18,035,635.

The winner of this year’s Daytona 500 will collect a minimum of $1,443,250. The second, third, fourth and fifth-place finishers in the Daytona 500 will receive a minimum of $1,041,525, $747,575, $593,550and $466,000 respectively.

Even the last-place finisher in the Daytona 500 will be well compensated with a minimum of $226,295.