[h=2]Danica Patrick[/h]
Danica Patrick during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Duck Commander 500. | Sarah Crabill/Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway
2016 Total earnings: $12.2 million
Danica Patrick gets the job done on and off the track. While the superstar took home $7.2 million in salary and winnings in 2016, it’s the
$5 million she earned in endorsement money that confirms she’s one of the most important players in the sport. As long as Patrick continues to burn rubber on the track, the cash will continue to roll in.