Cooper, Gaples rebound from bad luck to take second in Race 2 with No. 33 McLaren
Michael Cooper and Tony Gaples found their way to another podium finish at Sonoma Raceway at the end of the Pirelli GT4 America weekend, a familiar spot for Blackdog Racing.
The pair finished as the Pro-Am runner-up in the second of two one-hour races at Sonoma in their No. 33 Blackdog Cars McLaren Artura GT4. Cooper began fourth overall and drove the first 35 minutes before handing over to Gaples, who had a smooth drive going before a late full-course yellow with 11 minutes to go ended the race and the team’s charge to a potential victory.
Saturday’s result washed away a sour taste in the mouth of the Blackdog team from Friday’s opening race of the Sonoma event. Gaples qualified an impressive fourth in class but suffered contact and a flat right-front tire on the opening lap. The team made a quick repair of the wheel and the corner suspension to get the McLaren back in a decent operating window.
Cooper took over just before the halfway mark and rewarded the Blackdog crew with the second-fastest lap of the race in class, setting the table for Saturday’s results.
Harrison Continues Climbing GR Cup Ladder
Liam Harrison continued his solid start to Blackdog Racing’s first season in Toyota GR Cup with a weekend-best 13th place showing Saturday in the first of two races with the No. 55 Blackdog Cars Toyota.
As he did in his season debut at Arlington earlier in the month, Harrison patiently worked his way through the field. He picked up six spots from the start to the finish and ended strong with his fastest lap of the race on the final time around the Sonoma circuit.
Things were a little tougher Sunday as the No. 55 got shuffled back at the start from 18th but rebounded from deeper in the field to finish back in the top-20.
Blackdog Racing’s next event is April 24-26 at Circuit of The Americas in Austin. All races in both Pirelli GT4 America and Toyota GR Cup will stream live on SRO Motorsports’ GT World YouTube channel.
MICHAEL COOPER, NO. 33 BLACKDOG CARS McLAREN ARTURA GT4: "I think once again we’ve seen just how tough this championship will be. Ultimately we were lacking any sort of pace Saturday to be able to fight for the win, which is always our expectation. This team showed Friday what it has and how well it performs under pressure. Tony and I wanted to reward them with a win but it wasn't in the cards. Luckily for us, none of the pairings in Pro-Am had flawless weekends and the whole Blackdog group still has their head in the game for the crucial double points race at COTA. Hopefully we can be in a better spot to challenge at the front like I know we can."
TONY GAPLES , NO. 33 BLACKDOG CARS McLAREN ARTURA GT4: “We salvaged a good result Saturday after some bad luck Friday. The good news is that the car felt pretty good after the repair – almost as good as before. Full credit to our crew for the great work to get us back out. Michael did his usual great job of getting us a good starting spot for Sunday and giving me the car in a comfortable position. Sure we would have liked another win at Sonoma but this was a good way for us to end the weekend.”
LIAM HARRISON, NO. 55 BLACKDOG CARS TOYOTA GR86: “Another weekend of learning about the series and the car on a new track. I was happy with the progress and result Saturday. I’m getting more used to how to race in this championship and move forward. Now the key is to keep trying to extract as much as I can over one lap in qualifying and get us closer to the top-10. I think if I can get manage that then we have a good chance of scoring some good points later in the year.”
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 Cars
At Blackdog 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.