2011 Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour
The 2011 Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour was an endurance race for FIA GT3 cars, Australian GT Championship cars, Group 3E Series Production Cars and other invited vehicles. The event, which was staged at the Mount Panorama Circuit, Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia on 6 February 2011, was the ninth running of the Bathurst 12 Hour, and the fifth since the race was revived in 2007.
The race saw GT cars return to long distance racing at Mount Panorama for the first time since the 2003 Bathurst 24 Hour. The addition of the faster GT3 entries saw the leading cars smash the previous distance record by 29 laps. Unfortunately it also saw many of the Class D and E cars not compete due to being reduced from outright contenders in previous races to class contenders for 2011. One of the reason's for including the GT cars was an attempt to not only increase manufacturer involvement in the race but to also raise the international profile of the event and attract the top FIA GT3 teams.
The race was won by Audi's official factory supported team Audi Sport which was run by Audi's Le Mans 24 Hour team, Joest Racing, under the banners of "Audi Australia" for car #7 and "Audi Top Service" for car #8. Running a pair of Audi R8 LMS GT3s, the team of Marc Basseng, Christopher Mies and Darryl O'Young lead home teammates Mark Eddy, Craig Lowndes and Warren Luff in a 1-2 finish, the cars crossing the line only 0.7141 seconds apart in a true racing finish. Lowndes fastest race lap of 2:09.0861 also set a new GT lap record for Mt Panorama, cutting a second from the time of 2:10.0277 set 16 months earlier by Tony Quinn driving an Aston Martin DBRS9. Lowndes time came within 0.6210 of his Team Vodafone teammate Jamie Whincup's outright lap record of 2:08.4651 set in a Ford BF Falcon V8 Supercar in 2007. The Joest Racing R8's finished one lap in front of the VIP Pet Foods Racing Porsche 997 GT3 Cup R of Craig Baird and father and son pairing Tony and Klark Quinn.
The race was run under international endurance rules meaning that all cars compulsory pit stops were each to be no less than 90 seconds in duration. The Class A cars had to make 12 compulsory stops with no less than 10 laps between each stop while Class B cars only had to make 9 compulsory stops.
Class structure
Cars competed in the following classes:- Class A – FIA GT3, Australian GT Championship
- Class B – Australian GT Challenge
- Class C – Australian GT Production
- Class D – Production
- Class E – Production
- Class F – Production
Official Results
Those in Bold represent class winners. Fastest Laps in Italics represent the class fastest lap.| Pos | Class | No | Team / Entrant | Drivers | Car | Laps | Race Time | Fastest Lap |
| Pos | Class | No | Team / Entrant | Drivers | Engine | Laps | Race Time | Fastest Lap |
| 1 | A | 8 |  Audi Race Experience Team Joest |  Darryl O'Young Marc Basseng Christopher Mies | Audi R8 LMS GT3 | 292 | 12:01:30.7045 | 2:10.2017 |
| 1 | A | 8 | Audi Race Experience Team Joest | Darryl O'Young Marc Basseng Christopher Mies | 5.2 L FSI 2×DOHC V10 | 292 | 12:01:30.7045 | 2:10.2017 |
| 2 | A | 7 | Audi Race Experience Team Joest |  Mark Eddy Craig Lowndes Warren Luff | Audi R8 LMS GT3 | 292 | 12:01:31.4186 | 2:09.0861 |
| 2 | A | 7 | Audi Race Experience Team Joest | Mark Eddy Craig Lowndes Warren Luff | 5.2 L FSI 2×DOHC V10 | 292 | 12:01:31.4186 | 2:09.0861 |
| 3 | A | 29 | VIP Holdings Pty Ltd |  Tony Quinn Klark Quinn Craig Baird | Porsche 997 GT3 Cup R | 291 | 12:03:07.7427 | 2:11.3079 |
| 3 | A | 29 | VIP Holdings Pty Ltd | Tony Quinn Klark Quinn Craig Baird | 4.0 L Porsche H6 | 291 | 12:03:07.7427 | 2:11.3079 |
| 4 | A | 38 | Wall Racing | David Wall Greg Crick Barton Mawer | Porsche 997 GT3 Cup S | 289 | 12:01:59.0682 | 2:12.7634 |
| 4 | A | 38 | Wall Racing | David Wall Greg Crick Barton Mawer | 3.8 L Porsche H6 | 289 | 12:01:59.0682 | 2:12.7634 |
| 5 | B | 23 | Lago Racing | Roger Lago Matt Kingsley David Russell | Porsche 997 GT3 Cup | 282 | 12:02:38.5294 | 2:14.4387 |
| 5 | B | 23 | Lago Racing | Roger Lago Matt Kingsley David Russell | 3.8 L Porsche H6 | 282 | 12:02:38.5294 | 2:14.4387 |
| 6 | A | 37 | Rosso Verde Ireland | Hector Lester Luke Searle Allan Simonsen | Ferrari 430 GT3 | 276 | 12:02:50.0944 | 2:12.3556 |
| 6 | A | 37 | Rosso Verde Ireland | Hector Lester Luke Searle Allan Simonsen | 4.3 L Ferrari V8 | 276 | 12:02:50.0944 | 2:12.3556 |
| 7 | B | 66 | Motorsport Services Limited | Scott O'Donnell Simon McLennan Miroslav Konopka | Porsche 996 GT3 Cup | 264 | 12:01:46.1710 | 2:22.2708 |
| 7 | B | 66 | Motorsport Services Limited | Scott O'Donnell Simon McLennan Miroslav Konopka | 3.8 L Porsche H6 | 264 | 12:01:46.1710 | 2:22.2708 |
| 8 | B | 67 | Motorsport Services Limited | Allan Dippie Steven Thompson Mark Maddren | Porsche 996 GT3 Cup | 257 | 12:03:21.1949 | 2:25.4937 |
| 8 | B | 67 | Motorsport Services Limited | Allan Dippie Steven Thompson Mark Maddren | 3.8 L Porsche H6 | 257 | 12:03:21.1949 | 2:25.4937 |
| 9 | D | 14 | Peter Conroy Motorsport | Peter Conroy Anthony Robson Mark Brame | Mitsubishi Lancer RS Evo X | 256 | 12:01:45.2597 | 2:32.3415 |
| 9 | D | 14 | Peter Conroy Motorsport | Peter Conroy Anthony Robson Mark Brame | 2.0 L 4B11T I4 | 256 | 12:01:45.2597 | 2:32.3415 |
| 10 | D | 28 | GWS Personnel Motorsport | Peter O'Donnell Matthew Hansen Christian D'Agostin | BMW 335i | 252 | 12:03:38.8181 | 2:31.4950 |
| 10 | D | 28 | GWS Personnel Motorsport | Peter O'Donnell Matthew Hansen Christian D'Agostin | 3.0 L twin-turbo I6 N54 | 252 | 12:03:38.8181 | 2:31.4950 |
| 11 | C | 80 | Bruce Lynton BMW | Beric Lynton Matt Mackelden John Modystach | BMW M3 | 245 | 12:03:34.1061 | 2:31.4314 |
| 11 | C | 80 | Bruce Lynton BMW | Beric Lynton Matt Mackelden John Modystach | 3.2 L BMW S54 I6 | 245 | 12:03:34.1061 | 2:31.4314 |
| 12 | E | 26 | GWS Personnel Motorsport | Bruce Tomlinson Geoff Fontaine Richard Gartner | BMW 130i | 244 | 12:03:32.3214 | 2:40.8912 |
| 12 | E | 26 | GWS Personnel Motorsport | Bruce Tomlinson Geoff Fontaine Richard Gartner | 3.0 L BMW N55 I6 | 244 | 12:03:32.3214 | 2:40.8912 |
| 13 | D | 5 | Tinkler Motor Sports | Nathan Tinkler Jeremy Gray Steven Johnson | FPV FG GT | 238 | 12:02:37.1787 | 2:40.6970 |
| 13 | D | 5 | Tinkler Motor Sports | Nathan Tinkler Jeremy Gray Steven Johnson | 5.4 L Boss 315 V8 | 238 | 12:02:37.1787 | 2:40.6970 |
| 14 | E | 68 | Motorsport Services Limited | David Glasson Dennis Roderick Aaron Harris | BMW 130i | 235 | 12:02:53.3888 | 2:41.8986 |
| 14 | E | 68 | Motorsport Services Limited | David Glasson Dennis Roderick Aaron Harris | 3.0 L BMW N55 I6 | 235 | 12:02:53.3888 | 2:41.8986 |
| 15 | B | 39 | Wall Racing | Paul Tressider Shane Smollen Simon Middleton | Porsche 997 GT3 Cup | 230 | 12:03:40.8699 | 2:18.6995 |
| 15 | B | 39 | Wall Racing | Paul Tressider Shane Smollen Simon Middleton | 3.8 L Porsche H6 | 230 | 12:03:40.8699 | 2:18.6995 |
| 16 | E | 50 | Racer Industries | Chaz Mostert Ashley Walsh Gerard McLeod | HSV VXR Turbo | 227 | 12:03:55.8888 | 2:37.0462 |
| 16 | E | 50 | Racer Industries | Chaz Mostert Ashley Walsh Gerard McLeod | 2.2 L Ecotec I4 | 227 | 12:03:55.8888 | 2:37.0462 |
| 17 | C | 25 | Paul Freestone Racing | Paul Freestone Hayden Pullen David Sieders | Chevrolet Corvette Z06 | 192 | 12:02:24.0342 | 2:19.6556 |
| 17 | C | 25 | Paul Freestone Racing | Paul Freestone Hayden Pullen David Sieders | 7.0 L LS7 V8 | 192 | 12:02:24.0342 | 2:19.6556 |
| 18 | C | 62 | Lee Knappett Racing | Adam Gowans Richard Meins Chris Lillingston-Price | Lotus Exige S | 192 | 12:02:32.2864 | 2:24.9244 |
| 18 | C | 62 | Lee Knappett Racing | Adam Gowans Richard Meins Chris Lillingston-Price | 1.8 L supercharged Toyota I4 | 192 | 12:02:32.2864 | 2:24.9244 |
| 19 | D | 3 | Maximum Motorsport | Dean Herridge John O'Dowd Angus Kennard | Subaru Impreza WRX STi | 129 | 12:01:41.2740 | 2:31.3951 |
| 19 | D | 3 | Maximum Motorsport | Dean Herridge John O'Dowd Angus Kennard | 2.5 L Subaru H4 | 129 | 12:01:41.2740 | 2:31.3951 |
| DNF | A | 69 | Supabarn Supermarkets Racing | James Koundouris Theo Koundouris Steve Owen | Porsche 997 GT3 Cup S | 261 | 11:27:28.9388 | 2:10.6884 |
| DNF | A | 69 | Supabarn Supermarkets Racing | James Koundouris Theo Koundouris Steve Owen | 3.8 L Porsche H6 | 261 | 11:27:28.9388 | 2:10.6884 |
| DNF | A | 12 | Hallmarc Racing | Marc Cini David Reynolds Dean Fiore | Porsche 997 GT3 Cup S | 196 | 08:53:25.0075 | 2:10.9530 |
| DNF | A | 12 | Hallmarc Racing | Marc Cini David Reynolds Dean Fiore | 3.8 L Porsche H6 | 196 | 08:53:25.0075 | 2:10.9530 |
| DNF | D | 43 | Alan East Motorsport | Leigh Burges Damien Flack Neil McFadyen | Mitsubishi Lancer RS Evo IX | 165 | 07:45:42.9671 | 2:32.2315 |
| DNF | D | 43 | Alan East Motorsport | Leigh Burges Damien Flack Neil McFadyen | 2.0 L 4B11T I4 | 165 | 07:45:42.9671 | 2:32.2315 |
| DNF | A | 17 | Maranello Motorsport | Peter Edwards John Bowe Tim Leahey | Ferrari 430 GT3 | 161 | 07:14:57.9304 | 2:13.9841 |
| DNF | A | 17 | Maranello Motorsport | Peter Edwards John Bowe Tim Leahey | 4.3 L Ferrari V8 | 161 | 07:14:57.9304 | 2:13.9841 |
| DNF | E | 27 | GWS Personnel Motorsport | Garth Duffy Alan Shepherd Paul Stubber | BMW 130i | 106 | 05:45:20.2294 | 2:39.8422 |
| DNF | E | 27 | GWS Personnel Motorsport | Garth Duffy Alan Shepherd Paul Stubber | 3.0 L BMW N55 I6 | 106 | 05:45:20.2294 | 2:39.8422 |
| DNF | C | 44 | Donut King Racing | Tony Alford Peter Leemhuis Mal Rose | Nissan R35 GT-R | 102 | 06:48:41.1208 | 2:26.1198 |
| DNF | C | 44 | Donut King Racing | Tony Alford Peter Leemhuis Mal Rose | 3.8 L Twin-turbo VR38DETT V6 | 102 | 06:48:41.1208 | 2:26.1198 |
| DNF | A | 2 | Procon Developments | Geoff Emery Dean Grant Max Twigg | Mosler MT900 GT3 | 11 | 00:30:26.5023 | 2:16.1376 |
| DNF | A | 2 | Procon Developments | Geoff Emery Dean Grant Max Twigg | 7.0 L LS7 V8 | 11 | 00:30:26.5023 | 2:16.1376 |
Statistics
- Pole Position - #7 Mark Eddy, Craig Lowndes, Warren Luff
- Fastest Lap - #7 Craig Lowndes - 2:09.0861 on lap 267
* Craig Lowndes fastest race lap in the #7 Audi, set on lap 267 of 292 when the car had already covered 1,652km, was not only a new GT lap record for the Mt Panorama Circuit but undercut the Owen's qualifying record by 0.0154 seconds.