The Newest 'Bachelor' Is A Racecar Driver And Here's How Much He Makes

It was the shock heard around Bachelor Nation when the reality dating franchise announced Arie Luyendyk Jr. as the man at the center of the next season of The Bachelor. While most fans had their money on favorites from the recently concluded Rachel Lindsay season of The Bachelorette like Peter Kraus or Eric Bigger, the franchise surprised us all by going all the way back to Season 8 of The Bachelorette and selecting contestant Arie Luyendyk Jr. as its new rose-giver. Though Luyendyk is a favorite to some longtime fans, most viewers may have forgotten about him. So before he becomes the next bachelor, here's your refresher on all things Arie, to answer those nagging questions like what does he do and what is Arie Luyendyk's net worth? Let's just say that whoever ends up winning his season is going to have a pretty comfortable lifestyle.

Arie Luyendyk Jr. is a racecar driver who's been competing professionally since he was 16 years old. His father, the senior Arie Luyendyk, is the famous Dutch racecar driver who won the Indy 500 twice, so he's definitely got that need for speed in his blood. And his high-profile, high-octane career along with his family legacy have helped him do very well for himself financially. Though sources disagree on exactly how much Luyendyk is worth, it's definitely in the millions. Go Banking Rates estimates $2 million, and The Richest goes up to estimates of $5 million.

Aside from his racing career, Arie Luyendyk Jr. also has a lot of experience in reality television. Of course, Bachelor fans already know him from Emily Maynard's season of The Bachelorette, where he was the runner-up to winner Jef Holm. Luyendyk also appeared on an episode of Hell's Kitchen and competed on Wipeout.

There's no word yet on when Arie Luyendyk Jr.'s season of The Bachelor will premiere, but expect it to start on ABC sometime this fall.