Following a three-win season and a strong showing in the final standings of 2025 season, Blackdog Speed Shop has its sights on bigger things heading into another year of Pirelli GT4 America competition.
The pairing of Michael Cooper and Tony Gaples will reunite for another year in GT4 America’s Pro-Am class behind the wheel of the No. 33 Blackdog Performance McLaren Artura GT4. It’s a combination that worked well in last year’s championship with a trio of victories – including a sweep of the final weekend at Indianapolis.
Those results netted Gaples, Cooper and Blackdog Racing third place in the year-end Drivers and Teams championship standings in a highly competitive Pro-Am class. They’ll start the drive for a potential title in late March at Sonoma Raceway… a place where Blackdog Racing opened 2025 with a debut victory with its McLaren.
Blackdog Racing is a fixture in American GT4 racing. The team has recorded 46 GT4/GTS wins – the most in series history – along with five Drivers and Teams championships plus four Manufacturers titles.
This will be the fourth year for Blackdog Racing in a McLaren racecar and second straight with the Artura GT4. Previously, the team swept the 2020 GT4 Sprint titles with the previous generation of McLaren – a season in which Cooper won 11 times and took the Drivers’ title.
Gaples also found familiar form again with the McLaren. In addition to his three wins a year ago, he claimed 12 podiums including five runner-up finishes across the 2019 and 2020 Sprint seasons.
The McLaren Artura GT4 is the racing version of the Artura road car. It features all-new McLaren Carbon Fibre Lightweight Architecture (MCLA) and is powered by a twin-turbo V6 production-based engine.
Blackdog Racing will start its Pirelli GT4 America campaign at Sonoma Raceway from March 27-29.
MICHAEL COOPER, NO. 33 BLACKDOG PERFORMANCE CARS McLAREN ARTURA GT4: “We had a lot of success in our first year with the McLaren Artura GT4. This time around, our goal for this season is the Pro-Am championship. I feel like we made great strides as a team with the car throughout last year, as we showed at Indianapolis. Tony and I have raced together for enough years that we know what each other wants from the car, and the team does a great job prepping it how we need. I don’t see any reason why we can’t win more races and contend for the championship from the start.”
TONY GAPLES, NO. 33 BLACKDOG PERFORMANCE CARS McLAREN ARTURA GT4: “Our confidence is high going into this season. We have one year of racing with the McLaren in our pocket so everything we learned last year will be a big help during this year’s championship. Michael keeps proving why he is one of the best drivers in this series time after time. He’s a great leader and a great help to me and the rest of the team as we try to get better each week. I’m looking forward to another year with him and putting ourselves in the championship fight.”
RAY SORENSON, TEAM MANAGER, BLACKDOG RACING: “Coming up 12 points shy of the Drivers Championship last year for Michael and Tony was tough. You can look back through almost every weekend and find a point here and there that could make the difference. But the encouraging part is that we were really close to it in our first year with a new car. For this season, we’ve raised our expectations to be better than last year in every way. The window for success gets narrower each year as the competition in this series and class. But I know we’re more than capable of winning races and the championship.”
BLACKDOG RACING AT A GLANCE
- Pirelli GT4 America/GTS Drivers Championships: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2020
- Pirelli GT4 America/GTS Team Championships: 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2020
- Pirelli GT4 America/GTS Manufacturers Championships: 2013, 2017, 2019, 2020
- Pirelli GT4 America/GTS Victories: 46 – Most in class history
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@blackogpeedshop.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.