2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

The NASCAR Sprint Cup 2011 season began on February 12, 2011, the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway, followed by the 53rd Daytona 500 on February 20, 2011., The Chase for the Sprint Cup began on 18 September 2011 the LifeLock.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway. The season ended on November 20, 2011 with the Ford 400 as part of the Ford Championship Weekend by winning the championship by Tony Stewart due to the higher number of wins compared to the same point Carl Edwards ( 5-1 ).

• 5.1 Drivers' Championship
• 5.2 Manufacturers' Championship

Rule Changes

In the 2011 season allowed less the pit wall at pit stops cross, as adjustments to the fuel cans ( 'fuel cans ') have been made. 2011 Sonoco -E15 fuel was used - fuel with a bio- ethanol content of 15%. Changes to the tanks made ​​those superfluous man, who has so far collected over flowing fuel ( ' catch one '). Announce Furthermore, had the driver from the 2011 season before the start of the championship, by which the three individual titles they fight ( Sprint Cup, Nationwide, Truck Series ). Drivers could go in all three series at the start. The points included in the series to which title they did not go, but only for the current owner standings.

The changes to the points system are extensive at first glance, but resulted in only a slight change in the weighting in favor of the front seats:

Could so far the 12 best-placed rider in the fight for the championship participate ( ' The Chase '), as these were now the top-10 ranked riders. In addition, those two drivers were allowed to start, which were placed between position 11 and 20 and had won the most races. If the seats have been occupied 11 to 20 of drivers who could win a race, the 11th and 12th driver of the basic passage were allowed to start.

Participant

The following teams and drivers who participated in the races of the 2011 season.

Race Calendar

* = Races where no points were awarded

Running the race

Budweiser Shootout - Daytona International Speedway, Florida

Already from the beginning, there was a new character race: As in past years, there were two cars in Bumpdrafting on super speedways faster than the field. However, the first time formed in the entire field of two couples who traveled together on rounds, reaching over 200 miles per hour. After the Competition Caution on lap 25 was a restart and shortly after it came after a collision in midfield to the first yellow light phase during the race, triggered by an overly optimistic inward movement of Regan Smith. Kyle Busch / Mark Martin and Michael Waltrip / Tony Stewart caused more caution periods for failed Bumpdratfing attempts. On the last meters, the pair Busch / McMurray sat through that drove to bumper to the finish line bumper. Hamlin, however, tried to overtake before the finish line, his partner Newman, where he was forced under the boundary line and demoted later.

Daytona 500 - Daytona International Speedway, Florida

Jeff Gordon started the Daytona 500 from the top of the field and was from the outset as in the last race at Daytona two couples in the Bump - Drafting go. Already in the early rounds, there were yellow flags, which still ran lightly. For The Big One already came in round 29 with more than 15 participating cars. The danger of driving bumper to bumper appeared in numerous other yellows. Ten laps to five pairs moving toward the finish line. Aggressive driving and small distances led five laps to go to a further collision with several parties, just at a time when Trevor Bayne, who distinguished himself in the early course of the race by driving defensively, David Ragan had pushed hard to position one. The first restart resulted in only a yellow phase,; Ragan was disqualified due to an early position change. Bayne was pushed hard in the last restart of Bobby Labonte and allowed to settle. Carl Edwards and David Gilliland could catch before the finish line in a run to the top of Labonte. However, Trevor Bayne spectacular block skillfully in the final meters, winning in his second Sprint Cup race at the age of 20 years, the most important race of the series. He was the youngest winner of the race in an event with the most ever recorded yellow light phases and lead changes in a Daytona 500

Kobalt Tools 400 - Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Nevada

Carl Edwards won the race in Las Vegas, when he came in the Daytona 500 only finished second and had destroyed his car in Phoenix on the wall. Although Matt Kenseth started from the pole position, but was unable to decisively intervene in the battle for the lead. Numerous other favorites had problems ( Gordon: after logging in wall from tire damage; Kyle Busch: engine damage Tony Stewart: problems at the pits ) - after all, Carl Edwards prevailed.

Jeff Byrd 500 presented by Food City - Bristol Motor Speedway, Tennessee

The race in Bristol, sporting venue with the eight highest spectator capacity worldwide, has been dominated in the final stages of Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson. The top three finishers managed to remain largely intact until the end of the race, while many cars still came with severe damage to the finish in typical Bristol fashion. Kyle Busch won the fifth race at Bristol in a row - in three different racing series - and thus leads the Sprint Cup standings after four championship races before Carl Edwards.

Auto Club 400 - Auto Club Speedway, California

The race in Fontana has been dominated for a long time by Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch and Ryan Newman; Kyle Busch was able to perform more than 150 of the 200 laps. Only four caution periods led to racing interruptions, two of them within the last 30 laps.

Bobby Labonte caused by a puncture 15 laps to the final caution period, since he could not avoid the impact of the wall. The leading seven riders did not use the yellow phase to raise fresh tires, but rather kept their race position. Busch, with long green phases was very strong in particular, could lead despite the re- start in the final laps not prevail. Instead, joined Kevin Harvick on the leaders. In a dramatic finish, he pushed Johnson into the final curve, so this had to fight to maintain control of his Chevrolet. Harvick could happen outside, led the last 200 meters of the race and won.

Goody's Fast Relief 500 - Martinsville Speedway, Virginia

Jamie McMurray started as a training fastest race at the top. For long stages of the race, the inner lane (inside lane ) was due to the abrasion rubber much faster - so McMurray lost several positions, when Kasey Kahne was able to push 32 on the inside of the tip in round. After many lead changes came on lap 221 for a racing break when Martin Truex with steckengebliebenem accelerator Kasey Kahne first met and then struck hard against the boundary wall. The driver escaped unhurt, extensive cleanup efforts, however, were necessary.

Towards the end of the race led Kyle Busch, but was overtaken with bump-and - runs by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kevin Harvick. Harvick was able to prevail against Earnhardt with four laps; Although this still tried to counter, had his second place but schloeßlich still defend hard against bush.

Samsung Mobile 500 - Texas Motor Speedway, Texas

David Ragan started the race in Texas from the first pole position of his career. In the typical for the Texas Motor Speedway type the counterparties were next to each other already involved in the early rounds of three or four fights in position. Also closely ran from the pit -stops, several times there were clashes in the pit lane that ended with body damage and against the direction of stationary vehicles.

Matt Kenseth and his teammates from Roush Fenway Racing were able to show quite early in top positions. Kenseth led subsequently by some short pit stops and was able to hold at the top. Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon speculated on a yellow phase and led their pit stops by as late as possible. Opposite end of the race they were trying to save a refueling stop against the leader, but rolled in the final laps without fuel from. Kenseth won the race unchallenged.

Aaron's 499 - Talladega Superspeedway, Alabama

The race at the Super Speedway in Alabama was led by the four Hendrick Chevrolet of Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the first round. As in Daytona sat through most of the race distance, the Two -car trains by which have been intensively trained already in the training sessions. On lap 28, it was the first incident, when Kurt Busch Landon Cassill pushed into the car of Brian Vickers and the Ford spun on the back straight in the direction of the subsequent traffic. However, there was no further collision.

On lap 62, Brad Keselowski Kurt Busch pushed also by the road, with Marcos Ambrose and Trevor Bayne were not spared. At the same time the car of Kasey Kahne went up in flames. Curiously, David Reagan was surprised at this point of engine damage.

In the 140th lap Joey Logano pushed his teammate Kyle Busch accidentally off the track. Matt Kenseth was also swept away. 31 laps later, Juan Pablo Montoya was innocently involved in a collision and had to retire. The final phase was to offer in terms of voltage hardly. The pilots of the Hendrick Chevrolets now showed all their experience and battled their way towards the finish line. Jimmie Johnson was eventually pushed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. across the line and won by 0.002 seconds ahead of Clint Bowyer. Overall, the first six cars were within a tenth of a second.

Appreciation

Drivers' championship

By race 36 of 36

Manufacturers' Championship

Status: After 36 of 36 races