Cooper, Gaples take pair of wins on landmark weekend in Pirelli GT4 America
Michael Cooper and Tony Gaples swept the weekend in the team’s return to Road Atlanta with a pair of Pro-Am victories – including one overall – in Pirelli GT4 America on Friday and Saturday.
The pairing drove the No. 33 Blackdog Performance Cars to an overall victory in the first of two one-hour races and followed that up with a class win to wrap up the weekend Saturday. The results carried additional weight given some of the records that Gaples, Cooper and the team tied, set or extended:
· Gaples set a record career starts in SRO Motorsports America competition Friday and extended it Saturday with his 274th start in the class victory
· With Saturday’s Pro-Am win, Cooper tied Peter Cunningham for the most SRO America career victories with 43
· Blackdog Racing now has 48 all-time victories in GT4/GTS competition, a record for the class
The highlight of the weekend was Friday’s overall victory for the No. 33 McLaren. Gaples drove the first 25 minutes and was the third Pro-Am car to pit for the race’s mandatory driver change. Cooper rejoined in fourth but wasted no time taking third on his first lap out of the pitlane.
He passed two more cars to take the Pro-Am lead with 20 minutes but had eyes on an overall victory. He took second overall on the next-to-last lap and made a daring pass as time expired to deliver the win.
Cooper started first overall in Saturday’s race and led for the entirety of his nearly 35-minute run. Gaples got into the McLaren with about a 15-second lead but the race’s only full-course yellow flew on his out-lap. The race restarted with 18 minutes left, and Gaples came through with one of the best drives of his career to hold off the No. 94 BMW by just 0.118 seconds.
The results moved Cooper and Gaples to third in the Pro-Am Drivers Championship.
In Toyota GR Cup North America, Blackdog Racing rookie Liam Harrison rebounded nicely from an early end to Saturday’s Race One to finish 15th in Race Two despite starting back in 22nd and 11th row on the grid.
Only three drivers in the race gained more positions throughout than Harrison, who raced at Road Atlanta for the first time. It also sets him up well for the lengthy summer break before taking on the team’s home track – Road America – in late August.
MICHAEL COOPER, NO. 33 BLACKDOG CARS McLAREN ARTURA GT4: “I’ve been very motivated all weekend. That’s partially to do with this milestone for Tony and also proving what I can do over and over. I’m super happy and grateful for everyone at Blackdog Performance Cars that have enabled me to have so many starts as well and win so many races. I can’t do it without them.”
(On tying SRO wins record?) “It’s been in the back of my mind for awhile but I never once thought about it in that race. It was just head down and charge forward. We were already in the lead in Pro-Am but these are all GT4 cars and it’s great to show what I can do against all of them.”
(After Saturday’s win) “It's incredible to be in such formidable company as Peter Cunningham. I have a lot of respect for him and he's a very good friend. We've shared a lot of dinners and adult beverages over the years. It's super cool to be in this paddock with all the great people like Race Sorensen, Tony Gaples, the whole Blackdog team, and so many teams and co-drivers throughout my career. I'm not stopping here, that's for sure. I want the record, not just a tie. Sorry, Peter!”
TONY GAPLES , NO. 33 BLACKDOG CARS McLAREN ARTURA GT4: “This is just fantastic. To win overall… wow! I wasn’t expecting that. Michael had a little bit of a pad there with two Silvers behind him but he just kept charging forward. It’s just incredible and I’m so proud of Michael and the team. This is a very special place. I haven’t raced here in 15 years and it’s really good to be back. It’s a blast to keep racing this long. I hope I can keep continuing on and extending the record for the next couple of years!”
(After Saturday’s win) "That race was kind of going away there for a little bit, so it wasn't all fun. But when I crossed the checkered flag, wow, that was a great feeling. As far as milestone weekends go, this one is definitely at the top. To get win number nine, along with the starts record and yesterday's overall victory—what a weekend. Epic."
LIAM HARRISON , NO. 55 BLACKDOG CARS TOYOTA GR86: “It was good to get back on the track and race again in Toyota GR Cup. The first race wasn’t amazing since I only got to turn a few laps. But Sunday’s race was really enjoyable. Road Atlanta is a great track and the racing there is pretty intense. You definitely need to learn to pick your spots and how you challenge or defend people around you. Those are lessons that I’ll remember when we move on to Road America.”
RAY SORENSON, BLACKDOG RACING TEAM MANAGER: “I’ve been part of a lot of great weekends in my career but I can’t think of many – if any – that are more special than what we just experienced with Michael and Tony. They’ve made all of us on the team better and I’m so proud of them and everyone on this team. We’re going to enjoy this for awhile and celebrate these wonderful accomplishments.”
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.