2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series

Teams and drivers

Complete schedule

Limited schedule

Team changes

• Turner Motorsports ran four full-time teams during the season and switched to Chevrolets. They also used Hendrick Motorsports engines as well as getting technical support from Kevin Harvick, Inc.

• Germain Racing discontinued their Nationwide Series team this season because Michael Annett and sponsor Pilot Travel Centers moved to Rusty Wallace Racing. They, however, ran the No. 15 Toyota at Daytona with Todd Bodine sponsored by Tire Kingdom. Germain transferred the owners points of the No. 15 over to Rick Ware Racing who ran the No. 15 Ford for rookie Timmy Hill starting at Phoenix. Hill could not run Daytona because he was under 18.
• Richard Childress Racing has merged its Nationwide program with Kevin Harvick, Inc..
• Roush Fenway Racing discontinued the No. 98 car due to Paul Menard leaving for KHI. The owner points was sold to Go Green Racing.
• Due to a lack of sponsorship, Baker Curb Racing suspended all operations indefinitely for the season, though there are reports of the team putting together a car for Canadian J. R. Fitzpatrick for Daytona
• Due to the new rules package for the Nationwide Series, K-Automotive Motorsports decided to shut down its Nationwide program and focus on running Brian Keselowski in the Sprint Cup Series for Rookie of the Year.
• Stratus Racing Group failed to run a car during the season because owner/driver Derrike Cope moved back to Jay Robinson racing after a 4-year hiatus from the team.

  Driver changes

• Aric Almirola drove for JR Motorsports this season in the 88 car.
• Colin Braun was released by Roush-Fenway Racing because the team was focusing on sponsorship for Carl Edwards, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Trevor Bayne for this season.
• Elliott Sadler drive for KHI during 2011 in the 2 car.
• Sam Hornish Jr. drove the No. 12 Dodge for 10 races due to the No. 77 Sprint Cup team being renumbered to the No. 22 in The Cup Series.

• Travis Pastrana was to make his NASCAR debut with Pastrana-Waltrip Racing, running 7 races this season with sponsorship from Boost Mobile, beginning at Indianapolis. However, due to injuries sustained at X Games XVII, his debut was delayed until 2012.
• Pastrana-Waltrip Racing intended to field Ryan Truex for 20 races for ROTY honors, but the team was forced to pull out of the championship due to a lack of sponsorship.
• ARCA driver Timmy Hill ran for Rookie of the Year honors with Rick Ware Racing.
• Jennifer Jo Cobb was a ROTY campaigner with 2nd Chance Motorsports and planned to run the full season. However, she got into an heated argument with team owner Rick Russell at Bristol, and ran a few races with Rick Ware Racing.

• Paul Menard moved to Kevin Harvick, Inc., after two years with Roush-Fenway Racing.
• Michael Annett, along with sponsor Pilot Travel Centers, moved to Rusty Wallace Racing this season, after two seasons with Germain Racing, replacing Brendan Gaughan, who is heading back to the Camping World Truck Series with that team.
• Justin Allgaier joined Turner Motorsports this season, after two years with Penske Racing.
• Trevor Bayne signed with Roush-Fenway Racing during the 2010 season after Diamond Waltrip Racing was unable to renew their contract and has now signed on for a full year with the team. He'll drive the No. 16 vacated by Colin Braun.
• Eric McClure and sponsor Hefty left Team Rensi Motorsports after two years to drive for TriStar Motorsports in 2011
• Brian Scott was released by Turner Motorsports during the 2010 season and finished the season with RAB Racing. Scott moved to Joe Gibbs Racing to drive their No. 11 Toyota with Kevin Kidd as crew chief.
• Kenny Wallace drove for RAB Racing this season, after three seasons with Jay Robinson Racing.
• Mike Bliss leaves Key Motorsports to drive for TriStar Motorsports in the No. 19 Chevrolet.
• Scott Wimmer returned to full-time status for 2011, driving Key Motorsports' No. 40 Chevrolet.
• Jeremy Clements drove his No. 51 full-time in 2011, leaving Davis Motorsports.
• Shelby Howard left ML Motorsports before the Aaron's 312. David Stremme and Dennis Setzer filled the seat.
• Reed Sorenson was released by Turner Motorsports before the Kansas Lottery 300. Sprint Cup driver Brian Vickers replaced him for Kansas, Charlotte, and Texas.
• Derrike Cope moved back to Jay Robinson Racing after 4 years of driving his own car.

• Brendan Gaughan returned to the Camping World Truck Series this year with Germain Racing, bringing sponsor South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa along with him.

  Rookie entries

2011 calendar

Calendar changes

• Gateway International Raceway was removed from the schedule.
• Nashville Superspeedway's second race moved to late July.
• Iowa Speedway and Chicagoland Speedway received a second race date.
• Michigan International Speedway's race moved from August to June.
• Kentucky Speedway's race date moved to July.
• Phoenix International Raceway's spring race moves from April to February.
• The fall race at Auto Club Speedway was discontinued due to low sales and was replaced by the aforementioned Chicagoland June race.

  Changes

Rule changes

Results and standings

Races

Drivers' standings

• ¹ – Post entry, driver and owner did not score points.
• ² – Conway originally registered for Sprint Cup points, but switched to Nationwide at Nashville.

  Manufacturer