A 22-car entry featuring LMP1 (LMP900), LMP2, GT1 and GT2 spec machinery will grace the grid for the pilot race in the new Masters Endurance Legends Series at Spa-Francorchamps on September 15-17.

The series, overseen by Europe’s Masters Historic Racing, will start a full season in 2018.

The Prototype 1 entry for top class sports prototypes features some extraordinary entries:

Travis Engen will race his 2005 American Le Mans Series Audi R8.

Martin Short’s Rollcentre Racing Dallara Judd is also on the list, a car that ran in the 2005 Le Mans Series and Le Mans 24 Hours with Joao Barbosa and Vanina Ickx.

Series Director, Nic Minassian will be sharing a drive with Kriton Lendoudis in a Peugoet 908X from 2011, a factory car run during the 2011 season.

Mathieu Lahaye enters a 2007 Pescarolo 01, prepared by Onroak Automotive.

And the distinctive soundtrack of the Gulf-liveried Lola-Aston Martin will return to the track in the hands of owner Christophe D’Ansembourg, a car which finished 13th at Le Mans in 2009 when Anthony Davidson, Jos Verstappen and Darren Turner shared driving duties.

Swiss driver Michel Frey heads the Prototype 2 entry in his ex TDS Racing Oreca 03, the car that won the Red Bull Ring round of the European Le Mans Series in 2013 when driven by Pierre Thiriet and Mathias Beche. The car was also raced in that year’s Le Mans 24 Hours.

A second car that Frey raced in period is also on the grid in the hands of American historic racer Bob Blain, who shares his Oreca with Jonathan Kennard who a few weeks ago made a sensational historic debut at the Silverstone Classic.

Sean Doyle returns to racing action with the Murphy Prototypes Oreca 03 Nissan, the car ran at Le Mans for Karun Chandhok, Warren Hughes and Brendon Hartley, under the banner of the first Irish team in the ELMS.

Historic CanAm racer Peter Schleifer joins the grid in his Pilbeam MP91, a car that American Jeff Bucknum took to Le Mans in 2003, while Mike Furness shares his Courage LC75 with Robin Ward, this car having raced at Le Mans in 2007 as the first Courage built for P2 regulations.

The GT Entry sees another glorious mix.

Romain Rocher will be at the wheel of his Venturi 400 Trophy, a car that raced in the early BPR Global GT Series and came fourth at Jarama, while current ELMS LMP3 racer Morten Dons drives his later Ferrari 575 GTC, which Boris Derichebourg and Christian Pescatori shared in FIA GT races.

Porsche are well represented, with Gilles Petit and Romain Ianetta sharing a 996 RS from the ALMS, Jon Minshaw at the wheel of an ex-Prospeed Richard Westbrook/Alex Davison Porsche 997 GT3 RSR and Paul Daniels in his 997 that came 8th in class in the Spa 24Hrs in 2007.

Morgan enthusiast Adrian van der Kroft drives his ex-Charles Morgan BPR +8 ‘Big Blue’, while Karsten Le Blanc’s Aston Martin Vantage GT2 takes on Clive Joy’s Ferrari 430 GT2 and Steve Zacchia’s Ferrari 550, which itself comes from the 2003 season.

Xavier Tancogne brings his Chrysler Viper to the entry with history from FIA GT, Belcar and Euro GT.

Series Director Nic Minassian said: “I am delighted with the entry for this inaugural race at Spa and with the variety and quality of car and drivers that we have. It has been the correct decision to run a race this year after giving teams a long lead-in time and that is proved by the strong line-up we have achieved. We know of more cars and drivers that will be joining us in 2018 and this is a series that will grow and grow. These are great cars from a wonderful era and we are sure that people will be eager to join this latest addition to the world of historic racing.”

The Masters Endurance Legends race will be a 40-minute race on the iconic Spa-Francorchamps and will start a new and exciting chapter for both Masters and historic motor racing. The series will be supported by Technical Director John Gentry, from Spa onwards, to enforce period correctness.