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Ben Winrow (Earls Barton), a race winner in 2007, is the highest placed driver from last season to return in 2008 having finished sixth overall. He switches to Team Pyro, which retains 17-year-old Chris Law (Guernsey) for a second season. Expanding to a three-car entry for 2008, Team Pyro has also registered Chris Rice (Beverley) for his second season in the Championship.

Reigning Entrants champion JHR Developments has registered Richard Cannon (Chesterfield), who had sporadic races in the 2007 Clio Cup before contesting the Clio Winter Cup. He will carry the number one on his car, as Z Speed Racing will not be taking up its option to use the number.

Former champion team Total Control Racing has three drivers registered, including Alex MacDowall (Carlisle) who returns for a second season with the team. He is joined by Mike Robinson (Effingham) and Jonathan Ridley-Holloway (Barnstaple) who both raced in the 2007 Clio Winter Cup.

The father-and-son pairing of Jonathan and David Shepherd (both Sandbach) return for a second season with Amery Motorsport. Coastal Racing, which was a single-car entry in 2007 with Carl Bradley (Morecambe), has three cars entered as Bradley is joined by Stephen Tyldsley (Leeds) and Lee Pattison (Liversedge).

Two teams who ran multiple cars in 2007 each registered two drivers on the first day of registrations. Mardi Gras Motorsport will partner former British Touring Car Championship racer Gavin Pyper (Fleckney) with returning Irish racer Árón Smith (Rathfarnham). Full Speed Racing retains Chris Panayiotou (Cheshunt) alongside series newcomer Glenn Bell (Portadown).

The remaining teams are single-car entries at this stage, including Austian racer Niki Lanik (Ashurst Wood), who has won two successive Clio Winter Cup titles with Stancombe Vehicle Engineering. Registrations were also lodged by Alex Dew (Oxford) of Solutions Racing with Dewsport, Peter Felix (Derby) of AGCO Services, Alex Osborne (Northampton) of APO Sport, Lea Wood (Hereford) of Team Wood Racing, Derek Pierce (West Kilbride) with Robertshaw Racing and Robert Gaffney (Waltham Abbey) of EPS UK with Solutions Racing, who was at the head of the queue as registration began.

Commenting on the rush of early entries, Championship Manager Simon North said: “We have taken more registrations today than by this point last season so that is a positive step as we approach the second season with the New Clio Cup car. I’m sure there are several other drivers out testing who are yet to finalise their plans for 2008 and we expect to reach 30+ registrations by the closing date.”