The final entry list for this year’s sequence of Pirtek Enduro Cup rounds at Sandown, Bathurst and the Gold Coast have been confirmed after some last-minute shuffling of a number of co-drivers.
Among the last-minute confirmations are the finalisation of Garry Rogers Motorsport’s driver pairings, as well as Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport’s confirmation that former Erebus Motorsport pilot Aaren Russell will be Andre Heimgartner’s co-driver. Erebus Motorsport – which subsequently appointed Dunlop Series driver Shae Davies into Russell’s vacated seat – has hired versatile New Zealander Chris van der Drift as the youngster’s co-driver.
Just seven driver pairings have been maintained since last year, with Jamie Whincup / Paul Dumbrell (Triple Eight Engineering), Craig Lowndes / Steven Richards (Triple Eight Engineering), Garth Tander / Warren Luff (Holden Racing Team), Jason Bright / Andrew Jones (Brad Jones Racing) and Michael Caruso / Dean Fiore (Nissan Motorsport) locked in at the same teams as 2016.
The pairings of Fabian Coulthard / Luke Youlden (DJR Team Penske) and Simona de Silvestro / Renee Gracie (Nissan Motorsport) are also intact, having previously raced together at Brad Jones Racing and Prodrive Racing Australia respectively last year.
Four drivers – van der Drift, Matt Campbell, James Golding and Richie Stanaway – will make their Supercars Championship debuts this year.
Veteran drivers Cameron McConville (co-driving with Nick Percat at Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport) and Craig Baird (co-driving with David Reynolds at Erebus Motorsport) will return to endurance racing for the first time 2012 and 2014 respectively.
The first round of the Pirtek Enduro Cup, the Wilson Security Sandown 500, takes place on September 18.
| 2016 V8 Supercars Championship – Pirtek Enduro Cup Driver Pairings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Team / Entry | Lead Driver | Co-Driver | |
| 1. | Prodrive Racing Australia |  |
Mark Winterbottom | Dean Canto |
| 2. | Holden Racing Team |  |
Garth Tander | Warren Luff |
| 3. | Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport | |
Andre Heimgartner | Aaren Russell |
| 4. | Erebus Motorsport V8 | |
Shae Davies | Chris van der Drift |
| 6. | Prodrive Racing Australia | |
Cameron Waters | Jack le Brocq |
| 9. | Erebus Motorsport V8 | |
David Reynolds | Craig Baird |
| 7. | Nissan Motorsport |  |
Todd Kelly | Matt Campbell |
| 8. | Brad Jones Racing | |
Jason Bright | Andrew Jones |
| 12. | DJR Team Penske | |
Fabian Coulthard | Luke Youlden |
| 14. | Brad Jones Racing | |
Tim Slade | Ash Walsh |
| 15. | Nissan Motorsport | |
Rick Kelly | Russell Ingall |
| 17. | DJR Team Penske | |
Scott Pye | Tony D’Alberto |
| 18. | Charlie Schwerkolt Racing | |
Lee Holdsworth | Karl Reindler |
| 19. | TEKNO Autosports | |
Will Davison | Jonathon Webb |
| 21. | Brad Jones Racing | |
Tim Blanchard | Macauley Jones |
| 22. | Holden Racing Team | |
James Courtney | Jack Perkins |
| 23. | Nissan Motorsport | |
Michael Caruso | Dean Fiore |
| 33. | Volvo Polestar Racing |  |
Scott McLaughlin | David Wall |
| 34. | Volvo Polestar Racing | |
James Moffat | James Golding |
| 55. | Rod Nash Racing | |
Chaz Mostert | Steve Owen |
| 88. | Triple Eight Race Engineering | |
Jamie Whincup | Paul Dumbrell |
| 96. | Nissan Motorsport | |
Dale Wood | David Russell |
| 97. | Triple Eight Race Engineering | |
Shane van Gisbergen | Alexandre Premat |
| 111. | Super Black Racing | |
Chris Pither | Richie stanaway |
| 222. | Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport | |
Nick Percat | Cameron McConville |
| 888. | Triple Eight Race Engineering | |
Craig Lowndes | Steven Richards |
| TBA. | Nissan Motorsport* | |
Simona de Silvestro | Renee Gracie |
* Denotes Bathurst 1000 wildcard entry
Image via Motorsport.com
Richard Bailey
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