Cooper, Gaples take pair of third-place finishes at Sebring
Blackdog Racing found itself back in a familiar position after the two most recent rounds of Pirelli GT4 America: the podium at Sebring International Raceway. Michael Cooper and Tony Gaples recorded a pair of third-place class finishes in a pair of one-hour, sweltering races in their No. 33 Blackdog Cars McLaren Artura GT4.
It was a nice rebound from a hard-luck outing the last time out at Circuit of The Americas where the team had to retire early from the three-hour, double-points event. Doubly nice, the race marked Gaples’ 272nd career start in SRO Motorsports America competition, which moved him into a tie with James Sofronas for the all-time lead.
Back at it at Sebring, the Blackdog team’s steady and measured approach in the testing and practice sessions began to pay off in Friday’s opening race. Gaples qualified the McLaren sixth in class and fell to eighth in the typical opening-lap jostling among cars. However he raced his way back to fifth at the team’s mandatory driver change to Cooper at the 25-minute mark.
A pit stop that was just about right on the nose on time sent Cooper out in the fifth position but he wasted little time moving through the field and into podium position. He and the McLaren were almost three seconds out of third place when the pit stop cycle completed, and he gained the two positions he needed only moments later when the third- and fourth-place cars touched at the final corner.
Cooper swerved left to avoid the contact and kept going forward. By the end of the race, he had gained 10 positions overall and set the fastest Pro-Am lap – solid momentum going into Saturday.
It carried over quickly with Cooper starting second in class and staying there for the entirety of his stint. He set the fastest race lap in class again and handed off to Gaples right at the 35-minute mark. A quick pitstop from the Blackdog team sent Gaples back out in second, but the McLaren lost a spot to the points-leading No. 94 BMW that stopped a lap earlier and had a tire life advantage to take the spot.
Nevertheless, Gaples charged through in his time behind the wheel, nearly getting second place back after a charge from two seconds behind in the closing laps to come up just a half-second short.
Blackdog Racing’s next event is SRO America’s first visit to Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on June 12-14. Both of the team’s programs – GT4 America and Toyota GR Cup – will compete during the weekend. All races will stream live on SRO Motorsports’ GT World YouTube channel.
MICHAEL COOPER, NO. 33 BLACKDOG CARS McLAREN ARTURA GT4: “First off, Tony did a great job Saturday on a really tough and hot day. That it came in the same race where he tied the record for most starts is fitting. I’m really proud of him and the entire team for coming back like we did this weekend. Yes, I’m disappointed that we didn’t convert either of the races into a win. But this was a good rebound weekend and hopefully sets us up for a strong run into the summer.”
TONY GAPLES , NO. 33 BLACKDOG CARS McLAREN ARTURA GT4: “Two podiums this weekend is extra special. I’m grateful and feel very fortunate to have had such a long career in this paddock and with a great team, great teammates and great friends. I can’t thank everyone at Blackdog Racing, Ray (Sorenson, team manager), Michael and everyone who makes this happen. I was really happy with my race Sunday. I think if I had one more lap I could have gotten second, but after our race at COTA, these were two good results.”
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.