There’s a widening gulf in NASCAR between stock car racing’s biggest, most valuable teams and those hoping to hang on for just one more race. Since our first NASCAR valuation package two years ago, values have rocketed skyward, up 65% on average, to $119 million, thanks to a rash of investment in a sport whose radical growth over the past decade appears to be sputtering.

In the past year, billionaire investors like George Gillett, the owner of the NHL’s Montreal Canadians and English soccer club Liverpool, and Fortress Investment Group (nyse: FIG - news - people ) President Rob Kaufman purchased stakes in teams (Gillett Evernham Motorsports and Michael Waltrip Racing, respectively) after seeing value in NASCAR.

They aren’t alone. Stock car racing is also seeing interest from within–mergers of middling teams are yielding ready-made contenders as teams begin to realize the new efficiencies of operating, say, two cars from one expanded shop rather than separately. Example: Ginn Racing teaming with Dale Earnhardt Inc. prior to this season.

The Most Valuable NASCAR Teams

Rank Nascar Team (Sprint Cup/Nationwide Series Race Cars) Value in Millions
1 Hendrick Motorsports (4/2) $335 Million
2 Roush Fenway Racing (5/4) 313 M
3 Joe Gibbs Racing (3/2) 184
4 Gillett Evernham Motorsports (3/1) 150 M
5 Richard Childress Racing (3/3) 130 M
6 Dale Earnhardt Inc. (4/0) 109 M
7 Penske Racing (3/1) 100 M
8 Chip Ganassi Racing (3/2) 94 M
9 Michael Waltrip Racing (3/1) 86 M
10 Yates Racing (2/0) 74 M
11 Red Bull Racing Team (2/0) 54 M
12 Petty Enterprises (2/0) 44 M
13 Haas Cnc Racing (2/0) 41 M
14 Bill Davis Racing (1/0) 36 M
15 Robby Gordon Motorsports (1/0) 28 M

NASCAR Top 5 highest paid drivers:

1. Jeff Gordon: $32 million
2. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: $31 million
3. Jimmie Johnson: $23 million
4. Tony Stewart: $19 million
5. Kasey Kahne: $14 million

[Forbes]

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