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SPA DATE FOR CATERHAM EURO RACERS

The names of reigning evo Caterham Eurocup champions Clive Richards and Richard Hay top the entry list for next weekend's (10/11 May) opening rounds of the 2008 edition of the series at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.

Richards and Hay will be reunited with the Colards Motorsport-prepared Caterham CSR260 in which they won 10 races last season. The plan is, says Hay, to enjoy themselves: "Last year was a really tough fight and our aim this season is, rather than to defend our Eurocup title, to take in some of the races and to have some fun at the same time. We couldn't resist adding Spa to our plans because it is such a high-profile meeting."

The Eurocup is supporting the Spa 1000km sports car race. "This is easily the most prestigious support slot that the Eurocup has ever landed," says Caterham Motorsport Director Magnus Laird, "and the competitors are going to have a blast..."

The competition for Hay and Richards at the front of the Eurocup field will come from such CSR 260 competitors as former Caterham Germany Champion Kurt Hoffmann, who will be partnered by front-running British Caterham star Nick Payne, as well as solo-driving French competitors Lionel Vialaneix, Michel Mora and Olivier Guerin. Brits Nigel Bent and Nick Phillips will share a CSR, as will Simon Crompton and Steve Frost.

In the Superlight class former Production Saloons champion and GT racer Piers Johnson will make his Caterham debut, sharing a car with his namesake Ron Johnson. Recent Superlight graduate Simon Young tops the entries alongside Craig Welsher, who will share with Terry Clark. John Barbour, Bill Addison and Carl Woodwiss will take part also.

There's a healthy Roadsport class entry also, with leading UK championship contenders Dax Humberstone, Colin Powell, Lee Moulden, Peter Young, Mark Drain, Andrew Walton and Paul Fleury set to make their Eurocup debuts. The weekend will feature a threesome of 40-minute races, the last of which will include a mandatory pit stop.

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Backers for Caterham Motorsport's UK and European race series include Bilstein, Brian James Trailers, Cheesman Products, Circuit Driver, Cooper-Avon Tyres, Demon Tweeks, evo, HSBC Insurance Brokers, Mitchell Cotts, Motorsport News, Stack and Steel Fabrications.