They got the speed and they got the money. These are Forbes' highest paid NASCAR drivers.

Most of these drivers gathered their fortune from their salaries and endorsements. This also includes their share of winnings as well as licensing income.

From all the drivers of NASCAR, Dale Earnhardt Jr. tops the spot of the highest paid driver today. Since he joined back in 2000, Earnhardt has been striking like lightning on the race track. Apart from his riches, he was voted by fans as the most popular driver for ten years straight.

See more of the highest paying NASCAR drivers as presented by Forbes.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. - He has a total earnings of $25.9 million which is a combination of his salary and his endorsements. Despite the NASCAR drought, Earnhardt's licensing income is still favorably higher than the rest of the drivers.

Jimmie Johnson - Jimmie has a total earnings of $23 million and most of it is from his salary. He is also the winner at the 500 Daytona which could be the start of his sixth Sprint Cup Title run. Most of his personal sponsors include Chevy, Gatorade and Tylenol.

Tony Stewart - Ranked on the number three spot, Tony Stewart has $18.7 million of earnings. He is also a team owner and has avoided some personal sponsorship agreements. For the second straight year in 2012, he ranked as number 2 in merchandise sales.

Jeff Gordon - Close to Tony Stewart, he has a total earnings of $18.1 million. Gordon's record in the 1987 Sprint Cup is ranked third of all time. Apart from that, he also signed an endorsement to be the face of DVX sports sunglasses which are exclusively sold at Wal-Mart.

Carl Edwards - Although he disappointingly missed the Chase, he still managed to make it to the fifth spot of the highest earners in NASCAR. Edwards has a combined earnings of $13.7 million and got a salary boost in 2011 when he re-signed with Roush Fenway.