DRIVER DOWNLOAD: Tony Gaples

DRIVER DOWNLOAD: Tony Gaples

Tony Gaples, a veteran in World Challenge competition for decades gave us some inside scoop on what's it like to see the series evolve with time. Gaples drives the #11 McLaren 570S GT4 for Blackdog Speed Shop in Pirelli GT4 America, Sprint. Read more about Tony in this Driver Download!

QUICK FACTS

Team: Blackdog Speed Shop
Car: McLaren 570S GT4

Age: 54
Hometown: Lincolnshire, IL
Birthday: May 1
Favorite Track: Sonoma 
Daily Driver: Mercedes S63
Dream Car: Mclaren F-1
Racing Hero: Michael Schumacher 
Favorite Food: Filet Mignon 
Favorite Hobby: Depends on the location 
Occupation: Entrepreneur 
Favorite Vacation Spot: An island 
Pet names: Blackdog was named after the deceased blackdog of Jerry
First Car: 1973 Pontiac Lemans 
Favorite Movie: Fletch 
Favorite TV Show: Family Guy 

DEEP DIVE

What have you been doing in your extra free time with quarantine?
Completed years worth of stalled personal projects 

How did you get into racing?
Always drove to fast and met the right people who pushed me to keep taking it further

What is your favorite racing memory?
There is no one favorite racing memory.  Finishing 2nd in 2005 at Sonoma was pretty cool.  So was driving through the field in Las Vegas last year to move up in points.  

What’s the story behind your helmet design?
Painted a helmet once.  It ended up totaled into the wall along with the car I was driving.  So simple and clean.  The way they come from the factory.

Something interesting about you or a hidden talent?
I’m an ok guitar player.

If you could invite 3 people to dinner who would it be and why?
Who knows.  

We’ll be back racing at VIR soon, what are you looking forward to most?
Being in the car and seeing all those friends.

As a World Challenge Competition veteran, tell us a bit about what’s it’s like to see the different generations of the series to form and come to life.

Life is not a constant, but is always evolving.  I enjoy the sprint format with standing starts for all classes.  That was pure excitement to watch and intense adrenaline for the drivers.  Thankful the sprint format is still around.