There might not be a 'pay for a Red Hat', but there are a number of earned hats by personalities and special crew members.
Most of the crews worked for their opportunities, and others used their fame and cuteness for the Red Hat and no money was exchanged (that I know of).
We always talk that 'More people have climb Mt Everest than are in the Two Club", but what do you think they pay to 'climb' the highest mountain? $20,000, $35,000+? And spend months in the prep and climb?
What am I getting at? Arrive, drive a straight line for 7 miles, get out, put a hat and fly home,,, easier than climbing Mt Everest and maybe cheaper.
Once you get your ride dialed in and you have the horsepower and the magic bullet and runs left, what would you take to offset the effort?
And you want to know where the money really is? Under 200 mph, I know of a racer with a wound tight motor that only has just enough Wheaties to make 3 or 4 200 mph passes, but he needs to license to that point and to do it in his vehicle would cost him the runs left for the 200 effort. So he is willing to pay to get his experience and save his motor for his record (possible record). Is this wrong?