NASCAR winnings ???

[Chris Curry]

Can anybody help me understand how NASCAR comes up with the amount of the winnings for each driver/place? I am confused
Example A) Carl Edwards only ran 78 laps finishing 43rd, earning 78 points but $269,882. On the other hand Terry Labonte ran all 203 laps, earned 112 points for a 17th place finished and earned less ($268,558)
Example B) Jeff Gordon finished 26th earning $334,879.That's more than Kenny Schrader's $328,897 for 9th place.
None of the examples I used involved contingencey awards, according to NASCAR's site.
The points I have no problem with, it's the dollars I don't get.
Any insight is appreciated
Thanks, Chris

[TheRic]

At bottom is a link at NASCAR web sight that talks about it. It's from 2004 but I'm sure it's still basically the same.

Basically you get so much money by the position you are at during certain points in the race. Run near last place all day you don't get as much as someone who runs in top 10 most of day, and even leads a few laps, but gets knocked out 3/4 thru race. The guy who finished 40th was still racing and probally finished higher than the guy who got knocked out.

Also sponsors pay you if you finish so high and are using their products. For example Goodyear will throw in extra $$ if you win with Goodyear tires. Got Firestone tires, you get ZERO.

http://www.nascar.com/2002/kyn/nasca...ney/index.html