Aussie V8 aces join Spa 24 field

Shane van Gisbergen (pictured) and Steven Richards have joined a growing contingent of V8 Supercars stars racing in the Spa 24 Hours later this month.

Three-time Bathurst 1000 winner Richards will race for the Australian Lago Racing Lamborghini team in the Blancpain Endurance Series round on July 26-27. Van Gisbergen, who lies fourth in this year's V8 Supercars standings with the Tekno Holden team, will compete in a McLaren MP4-12C for the VonRyan Racing squad in the event.

Lago, a regular in the Australian GT Championship, is making its first assault on the Spa enduro with a Pro-Am class Lamborghini Gallardo FLII driven by Richards, two-time V8 Development Series champion Steven Owen, David Russell and team boss Roger Lago.

Van Gisbergen, 25, has been recruited to drive VonRyan's Pro class entry alongside McLaren factory racer Rob Bell and an as-yet-undetermined third driver, after starring in February's Bathurst 12 Hours at the wheel of a MP4-12C run by the VIP team.

"I watched Bathurst and saw that Shane did a really good job," Team boss Dave Ryan said. "I didn't know much about him, so I spoke to Steve Hallam [with whom Ryan worked at the McLaren F1 team], who is technical director at Tekno, and I think Shane is going to be really good."

Ryan explained that he had requested the services of Bell from McLaren because he "needed someone with experience" to drive with Van Gisbergen.

The third driver in the Pro class entry will be a top-liner, according to Ryan. "We have found a little bit of backing to do Spa and thought if we were going to do it, we would do a proper job," he added.

Van Gisbergen and Richards join Australian touring car legend Craig Lowndes on the entry list for Spa. Five-time Bathurst winner Lowndes is racing for the AF Corse Ferrari team in the Pro-Am class.