The 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series was the 63rd season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 40th modern-era Cup series season. The season included 36 races and two exhibition races, beginning with the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway and ending with the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The final ten races were known as 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup.
The 2011 season is often considered to be one of the greatest and most exciting seasons in Cup Series history. It had the closest points battle in history, with Tony Stewart winning the Drivers' Championship with a victory at the final race of the season in a tiebreaker over Carl Edwards due to having five wins on the season vs. Edwards' one win. Stewart, after barely making the Chase that year and having zero wins when the postseason began, went on to win five of the final ten races and then the title over Edwards, who led the points for most of the year despite only scoring one win early in the season at the Las Vegas. There were eighteen different race winners, the most since 2002. There were also five first-time Cup Series winners. Trevor Bayne, the first of these five, won the Daytona 500 in just his second career Cup race. The other first-time winners were Regan Smith at Darlington, David Ragan at Daytona in July, Paul Menard at Indianapolis, and Marcos Ambrose at Watkins Glen. These races are some of the most prestigious on the schedule.
During the 2010 season, NASCAR announced several calendar changes for 2011, including race additions at Kansas Speedway and Kentucky Speedway, and the removal of one race each from Atlanta Motor Speedway and Auto Club Speedway. Once the 2010 season had concluded, NASCAR also announced changes to the point system, and that the fuel changed from Sunoco unleaded to an ethanol blend called 'Sunoco Green E15'.
In addition, Stewart–Haas Racing, owned by Stewart and Gene Haas, won the Owners' Championship, while Chevrolet won their ninth-consecutive Manufacturers' Championship with 248 points. Stewart became the first owner-driver to win a Cup title since Alan Kulwicki in 1992.
This was the final season Cup cars would use carburetors in the engines which goes back to the NASCAR Cups first season in 1949. In 2012 the series would shift to fuel injection.
Teams and drivers Complete schedule There were 41 full-time teams in 2011.
ManufacturerTeamNo.Race driverCrew chief Chevrolet Earnhardt Ganassi Racing 1Jamie McMurrayKevin Manion 42Juan Pablo MontoyaBrian Pattie Jim Pohlman Furniture Row Racing 78Regan SmithPete Rondeau Mike Hillman Hendrick Motorsports Mark MartinLance McGrew 24Jeff GordonAlan Gustafson Jimmie JohnsonChad Knaus 88Dale Earnhardt Jr.Steve Letarte Phoenix Racing Bill Elliott Nick HarrisonLandon Cassill Boris Said Mike Bliss Richard Childress Racing 27Paul MenardSlugger Labbe 29Kevin HarvickGil Martin 31 Jeff BurtonTodd Berrier Luke Lambert 33Clint BowyerShane Wilson Stewart–Haas Racing14Tony StewartDarian Grubb39Ryan NewmanTony GibsonTommy Baldwin Racing36Dave Blaney Kevin Buskirk Joe Williams Philippe Lopez Ron Fellows Mike Skinner Stephen Leicht Geoff Bodine Dodge Penske Racing2Brad KeselowskiPaul Wolfe22Kurt BuschSteve AddingtonRobby Gordon Motorsports 7Robby Gordon Steven Lane Samuel Stanley Scott Wimmer Johnny Sauter Reed Sorenson FordFAS Lane Racing32Terry Labonte Frank StoddardMike Skinner Ken Schrader Mike Bliss Patrick Carpentier Jason White Andrew Ranger T. J. Bell (R) Front Row Motorsports34David GillilandPeter Sospenzo38Travis Kvapil Bill Henderson Derrick Finley Jay Guy Sam Hornish Jr. Tony Ave J. J. Yeley Terry Labonte 37Robert Richardson Jr. Greg Conner Mike Abner Max Q MotorsportsTony Raines Chris Cook Scott Speed Jeff Green Erik Darnell Josh Wise Mike Skinner Richard Petty Motorsports9Marcos AmbroseTodd Parrott43A. J. AllmendingerMike Shiplett Greg Erwin Roush Fenway Racing6David RaganDrew Blickensderfer16Greg BiffleGreg Erwin Matt Puccia 17Matt KensethJimmy Fennig99Carl EdwardsBob Osborne ToyotaGermain Racing13Casey MearsBootie BarkerHP Racing66Michael McDowell Gene NeadTodd Bodine Josh Wise Joe Gibbs Racing11Denny HamlinMike Ford18Kyle Busch Dave RogersMichael McDowell 20Joey LoganoGreg ZipadelliJTG Daugherty Racing47Bobby LabonteFrank Kerr Brian Burns Michael Waltrip Racing00David ReutimannRodney Childers Bobby Kennedy 56Martin Truex Jr.Pat Tryson Chad Johnston Scott Miller NEMCO Motorsports 87Joe NemechekPhilippe Lopez Steven Gray Bill Wilburn Red Bull Racing4Kasey KahneKenny Francis83Brian VickersRyan Pemberton FordChevroletWhitney Motorsports46J. J. Yeley Tony FurrBill Elliott Andy Pilgrim Erik Darnell Brian Simo Scott Speed TRG Motorsports 71Andy Lally (R) Jay Guy Paul Clapprood Doug Richert Hermie Sadler Mike Bliss
Limited schedule ManufacturerTeamRace driverCrew chiefRoundsChevroletCurb-Agajanian Performance Group98Austin DillonDanny Stockman Jr.Inception Motorsports30David StremmeSteven LaneSinica Motorsports93Grant EnfingerAllen WellmanTommy Baldwin Racing35Steve ParkKevin Buskirk Tommy Baldwin Jr. Joe Cipriano Geoff BodineDave BlaneyStephen LeichtDodgeRobby Gordon Motorsports77Scott Wimmer Patrick DonahueP. J. JonesRobby GordonStratus Racing Group75Derrike CopeDave Fuge FordFAS Lane Racing23Terry LabonteFrank Stoddard Wood Brothers Racing 21Trevor Bayne Donnie WingoRicky Stenhouse Jr. TRG Motorsports77Andy LallyTodd AndersonT. J. BellBarry BoeckenstedtFront Row Motorsports55Jeff GreenDerrick FinleyJ. J. YeleyTravis KvapilLeavine Family Racing95David StarrWally Rogers ToyotaMax Q Motorsports64Derrike CopeDave FugeMichael Waltrip Racing15Michael WaltripBobby KennedyNEMCO Motorsports97Kevin ConwayMike Boerschinger Scott Eggleston Red Bull Racing Team84Cole WhittRandy CoxR3 Motorsports23Scott RiggsGreg ConnerRusty Wallace Racing77Steve WallaceLarry CarterDodgeChevroletK-Automotive Motorsports92Brian Keselowski Bob KeselowskiDennis SetzerScott RiggsToyotaChevroletGermain Racing60 Todd BodineBuddy Sisco Mike Abner Tom Ackerman Landon Cassill Mike Skinner Dave BlaneyLTD Powersports, LLC.50T. J. BellJeff McClureFordChevroletWhitney Motorsports81Scott RiggsButch Lamoreux Mike Abner Brian Simo
Team changes In preparation for 2011, Penske Racing made team changes by moving Brad Keselowski, along with his No. 12 team, into the No. 2 Miller Lite car, replacing Kurt Busch and his 2010 team, who moved to the newly formed No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil car. Another change was made by Hendrick Motorsports, who rearranged three of the four-car team. The team moved Steve Letarte with Dale Earnhardt Jr., Alan Gustafson with Jeff Gordon, and Lance McGrew with Mark Martin. On January 7, 2011, Bob Leavine and Lance Fenton announced the formation of Leavine Fenton Racing, and that David Starr drove for the team. In February, another team was formed, FAS Lane Racing, by Frank Stoddard. In March, David Stremme announced his return to the Cup Series with a new team, Inception Motorsports. They ran the No. 30 Chevrolet and attempted to make the spring race at Richmond. In October before the Bank of America 500, it was announced that Sinica Motorsports would join the Cup Series for 3 races in 2011, running the No. 93 Chevrolet with either Bill Elliott or Terry Labonte and that ARCA driver Grant Enfinger would drive for the team for 10–15 races in 2012. (The team ended up only attempting the season-finale at Homestead with Enfinger in 2011, which they failed to qualify for, and no races in 2012.)
Another new team for 2011, America's Racing Team, was scheduled to debut in the Daytona 500 with their No. 76 Chevrolet. The team was formed in 2010 before the July race at Daytona. The team was unique because fans could pay between $44.95 to $1,999.95 to own a portion of it. However, AMR was unable to get off the ground and they did not attempt any races.
Driver changes
Changed teams Several drivers changed teams for the season. One of which was Paul Menard, who left Richard Petty Motorsports to drive for Richard Childress Racing. Menard signed a three-year deal to expire at the end of 2013, with options for further years. Other changes were Kasey Kahne who joined the Red Bull Racing Team, after leaving Richard Petty Motorsports in 2010, and Marcos Ambrose who left JTG Daugherty Racing to drive for Richard Petty Motorsports in 2011, as a replacement for Kahne. Also, Bobby Labonte replaced Ambrose at JTG Daugherty Racing, and Bill Elliott, who moved from Wood Brothers Racing to Phoenix Racing. Kevin Conway, the 2010 NASCAR Rookie of the Year in the Sprint Cup Series, also made a change by moving to NEMCO Motorsports.
Entered the series For the 2011 season, Trevor Bayne, who placed seventh in the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series season, entered the series driving for Wood Brothers Racing in 17 scheduled races. Another driver, Brian Keselowski also entered the series, after qualifying for the 2011 Daytona 500 for the K-Automotive Motorsports team.
Exited the series Some drivers left the series, such as Elliott Sadler who left Richard Petty Motorsports to drive for Kevin Harvick Incorporated in the Camping World Truck Series and Nationwide Series. Sam Hornish Jr. also exited the series and moved to the Nationwide Series to participate in ten races, after new sponsorship for his Sprint Cup Series car could not be found. After the final race of the 2010 season, Scott Speed exited the series after Red Bull Racing Team dismissed him to make room for Kahne. The change resulted in Speed filing a lawsuit against the team for several reasons.
Mid-season changes During July 2011, Max Q Motorsports announced that Scott Speed signed a three race contract with the team to race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Watkins Glen International and Pocono Raceway. Following the announcement, Speed commented, "I am excited to get back to the track. Max Q Motorsports seems to have a good operation and a great group of guys. Ford has a great engine package, so I'm hopeful that we can get the ball rolling quickly and be competitive out the gate. "
Rookie entries At the beginning of the season, two drivers announced plans to participate in the 2011 Rookie of the Year standings. The drivers were Andy Lally driving for Kevin Buckler's TRG Motorsports, and Brian Keselowski, moving his family-operated K-Automotive Motorsports team up from the Nationwide Series. Trevor Bayne, who was running half the season with the Wood Brothers, did not participate in the standings after deciding to participate for the Nationwide Series championship. T. J. Bell entered later in the season and collected his first Cup points at Pocono. As Lally was the only rookie driver to run the required 17 races to keep eligibility, he won the rookie award easily despite being released from TRG before Homestead.
Changes
Rule changes After the 2010 season, the catch can man, who caught excess fuel during pit stops and adjusts the track bar, is no longer needed, because of the addition of a self-venting fuel can. On January 11, 2011, NASCAR reported drivers can only be able to compete for the championship in one of NASCAR's three national racing series, which means the drivers who race in multiple series, most notably in the Cup and Nationwide Series, are able to compete in the races, but not for the championship.
The rule does not affect the exemption rule, as exemptions are determined by the top 35 in NASCAR car owner points. Drivers ineligible for Sprint Cup driver points earned Sprint Cup owner points for their team.