» V8s: 2016 Pirtek Enduro Cup drivers confirmed

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