Blackdog Racing couldn’t buy a break over the weekend at Barber Motorsports Park in the next-to-last event of the Pirelli GT4 America championship.
Michael Cooper and Tony Gaples finished a weekend-best fourth in Pro-Am at the end of Sunday’s one-hour race in their No. 33 Blackdog Performance McLaren Artura GT4. After coming into the weekend with championship hopes and a strong run of podium finishes, none of the luck went the team’s way.
The final of three races summed up the event. Cooper began from the overall pole position and built a nearly half-minute lead in the first 35 minutes before handing over to Gaples to go to the end. Disaster struck a couple minutes later when the race’s only full-course yellow flew and that advantage went away.
Pro-level drivers in both the Silver and Pro-Am classes shoved their way through the field with Gaples caught up in the shuffling. Things eventually settled with the McLaren less than a second from the podium.
The kickoff for the weekend actually came Friday with a rescheduled race from the previous event at Road America. The No. 33 McLaren began eighth – based on qualifying results from Elkhart Lake – with Gaples at the wheel for the first stint. He made up three positions overall from 20th on the grid, and Cooper gained six more and three in class to jump into the top-five by the checkered flag.
There was no such progress to be made in Saturday’s one-hour race. Following a performance adjustment that cut the power to the McLaren after qualifying, the Blackdog team struggled to keep pace which in turn impacted its strategy. The team elected to keep Gaples in for his opening stint in an attempt to stay on the lead lap of the race with a number of Pro drivers starting.
That part worked but Cooper rejoined the race in ninth by the time the pit cycle concluded and cars that stopped earlier went through on warmed tires. Barber’s tight nature meant he could only gain three spots in class to the end.
Blackdog Racing closes its second season in GT4 America – and first back with McLaren – October 16-19 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as part of the Indianapolis 8 Hour.
MICHAEL COOPER, NO. 33 BLACKDOG PERFORMANCE McLAREN ARTURA GT4: "It's really unfortunate timing with the yellow today. Everyone at Blackdog Racing did a fantastic job all weekend to get us to that point . We were pretty quick around Barber. There aren’t a lot of long straights which is where we struggle. So for one of the first times this year, we've been showing what we're capable of with this McLaren. It’s just frustrating that everything seemed to work against us."
TONY GAPLES, NO. 33 BLACKDOG PERFORMANCE McLAREN ARTURA GT4: “It seemed like nothing went our way this weekend. We had chances for a really good result in two of the races this weekend and it feels like everything went against us. There’s not much you can do except just shake your head at all the luck. Unfortunately it was all bad for us.”
About Blackdog Racing
Ever dreamed of piloting a real SRO GT race car? Blackdog offers rental and “arrive and drive” racing in addition to purpose-built cars. Email sales@blackdogspeedshop.com to discuss the best way to put you in the driver’s seat!
About Blackdog Performance Cars
At Blackdog Performance Cars, luxury and performance converge in an exclusive collection of high-end vehicles, each designed to deliver an unparalleled driving experience. Our curated inventory is a testament to exceptional craftsmanship and innovation, while our GT4 America McLaren Artura race team subtly underscores our passion for precision engineering on the track. Discover the ultimate blend of sophistication and speed at www.blackdogperformancecars.com.