Race wins to close 2026 the goal for Cooper, Gaples in No. 33 McLaren
Blackdog Racing will take to the Brickyard this weekend in hopes of sweeping a pair of races in Pirelli GT4 America’s Pro-Am class for the second straight year to close the 2026 racing season.
Michael Cooper and Tony Gaples – with their No. 33 Blackdog Cars McLaren Artura GT4 – are part of a 12-car class in Pro-Am with 34 total entries for the pair of one-hour races around the 2.439-mile, 14-turn infield course that uses portions of the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval.
Heading into the finale weekend, Cooper and Gaples are effectively second in the Pro-Am Driver’s Championship standings and 41 points behind first place. There are 50 total points remaining over the two races with cars finishing in the top-10 in each round earning at least one point.
The Blackdog McLaren has eight podium finishes this year including seven straight and four victories in a summer stretch that saw the team rebound from two early DNFs and get into the championship standings.
Two of those wins were overall victories. In addition to race-winning craft, the two Blackdog Racing drivers have shown excellent qualifying pace. Cooper has been on the overall pole at three straight events, and Gaples has a pole and two additional top-three starts in Pro-Am during the same span.
Both Pirelli GT4 America races from Indianapolis will stream live on SRO Motorsports’ GT World YouTube channel.
MICHAEL COOPER, NO. 33 BLACKDOG CARS McLAREN ARTURA GT4: "It’s disappointing not to have a chance to realistically race for the championship this weekend. But despite that I’m really proud to be part of this team and a group of people that don’t give up. We’ll go into Indianapolis trying to win both races again this year, see what happens and end the season in the best way we can. Our team deserves it and I’m looking forward to delivering for them.”
TONY GAPLES, NO. 33 BLACKDOG CARS McLAREN ARTURA GT4: “Winning both races at Indianapolis last year was special for a lot of us on the team. As far as this season’s championship goes, anything can happen in these races but it will take a lot of misfortune by our main competition to keep us in the hunt going into the final race. So our aim this weekend is pole positions and race wins. We’ve shown that we can do all of that at different points this year so we’ll go for it and try to build on things going into the offseason.”
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.