User:V8fan/2011 International V8 Supercars Championship

The 2011 V8 Supercar Championship is an FIA sanctioned international motor racing series for V8 Supercars. It will be the thirteenth V8 Supercar Championship Series and the fifthteenth series in which V8 Supercars have contested the premier Australian touring car title. It is also the first since the series was elevated to 'International Championship' status by the FIA. The championship will begin on February 10 in the Middle East at Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina Circuit and will finish on December 5 at the Homebush Street Circuit. If all the provisional events are confirmed it will be contested over 26 races at 15 events. These events will be held in all states of Australia and in the Northern Territory as well as in the United Arab Emirates, and New Zealand. The 52nd Australian Touring Car Championship title will be awarded to the winner of the series by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport.

Race calendar
The following events make up the 2011 series. The round at Barbagallo Raceway was reinstated with the Western Australian Government providing $5 million to redevelop the circuit. The Desert 400 was scrapped with V8 Supercars stating that the decision not to hold the event was because the circuit's international racing calendar was too full for an early season date.

Teams and drivers
The following teams and drivers have been confirmed or are currently speculated for the 2011 series. Bold=confirmed Italic=speculated

Endurance driver list

Driver and team changes
On the 9th November, 2010, Greg Murphy and sponsor Castrol left Paul Morris Motorsport. Murphy has joined Kelly Racing replacing Jason Bargwanna.

Will Davison has been announced as the driver of the #6 Ford Performance Racing car.

Tekno Autosports and driver Jonathon Webb ended their association with Dick Johnson Racing to run the team separately with support from Triple Eight Race Engineering.

Walkinshaw Racing downsized to a single-car team, with the #10 Racing Entitlement Contract initially placed for sale, but was subsequently purchased by organising body V8 Supercars Australia (VESA) to achieve their long-held ambition to reduce the grid to 28 cars.

Walkinshaw Performance endurance co-driver David Reynolds joined Kelly Racing in the teams fourth Commodore replacing Tony Ricciardello.

After a long-running dispute over the ownership of Dick Johnson Racing, co-owner Charlie Schwerkolt sold his stake in the team and left with the #18 Racing Entitlement Contract, but has leased it back to Dick Johnson for the purposes of running two cars in 2011. James Moffat will join the team in the #18 car replacing James Courtney.

After previously confirming his departure from Dick Johnson Racing, James Courtney joined the Holden Racing Team.

Brad Jones Racing driver Jason Richards will be unable to drive the #8 Commodore due to his recently diagnosed stomach cancer. Jason Bargwanna was announced as a fill-in driver.

Sponsorship changes
Trading Post became the naming rights sponsor of the #6 FPR Ford Falcon.

Pepsi Max is sponsoring the #11 Kelly Racing Commodore.

Lucky 7 has stepped up to the naming-rights sponsor on Tim Slade's car.

BOC have extended their sponsorship to both Brad Jones Racing cars.

V.I.P. Petfoods has replaced Castrol on the #49 PMM Commodore.

Endurance Event Drivers
Luke Youlden and Steven Richards have been confirmed as the co-drivers for Ford Performance Racing alongside Mark Winterbottom and Will Davison.

Richard Lyons will drive for Jonathon Webb's Tekno Autosports.

David Wall will again drive with Karl Reindler in the endurance events.

Nathan Pretty will drive for Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport.

Greg Ritter will drive for Garry Rogers Motorsport at Sandown and Bathurst.