INDYCAR announced today an expanded race bonus money structure and the 21 entrants that will be part of its Leaders Circle program for the 2014 IndyCar Series season.

The Leaders Circle program was established in 2002 to provide incentives to teams that participate full time in the IndyCar Series. Each Leaders Circle member is assured a minimum of $1 million for the 18-race season if the entrant successfully qualifies for the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race.

“The Leaders Circle program is an important resource for full-time teams in the IndyCar Series,” said INDYCAR president of competition and operations Derrick Walker. “We are looking at ways to continue to grow this resource in the future and further reward our teams for their continued participation in the series.”

Twenty entrants were selected based on their standing in the 2013 IndyCar Series entrant points, including Bryan Herta Autosport (car number and driver TBA). The entry for the No. 2 Verizon Team Penske car driven by Juan Pablo Montoya is also a new Leaders Circle member for 2014 through a partnership with Dragon Racing.

Additionally, all entrants will continue to compete for bonuses that will now be paid to the top-10 finishers at each IndyCar Series race aside from the races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Indianapolis 500), Pocono Raceway and Auto Club Speedway. The race bonuses are: $30,000 for first place, $20,000 for second, $15,000 for third, $10,000 for fourth, $9,000 for fifth, $8,000 for sixth, $7,000 for seventh, $5,000 for eighth, $4,000 for ninth and $2,000 for 10th. At Pocono and Auto Club, the winning team will receive $40,000 with the remaining payouts remaining the same as other races.

Non-Leaders Circle entrants will compete for payouts awarded to the top-five finishers. In each race excluding the races at the Indianapolis 500, Pocono and Auto Club, the highest-finishing non-Leaders Circle entrant will receive $20,000. At Pocono and Auto Club, the highest finishing team will receive $30,000.

The next-placed Non-Leaders Circle entrants will receive $15,000, and $10,000, respectively. The fourth and fifth-placed Non-Leader Circle entrants will each receive $5,000 at all races excluding the Indianapolis 500.

The IndyCar Series driver champion and championship entrant again will share a $1 million bonus, with second through 10th in the standings sharing bonuses of $250,000, $90,000, $75,000, $60,000, $50,000, $40,000, $35,000, $25,000 and $15,000.

Contingency prizes will continue to be awarded at IndyCar Series events.

2014 INDYCAR SERIES LEADER CIRCLE ENTRANTS