It’s a new season and a completely new program for Blackdog Racing in SRO Motorsports America with the championship-winning team moving to the Pirelli GT4 America series with the Nissan Z NISMO GT4 for 2024.
Blackdog welcomes Michael Cooper back into the fold as he and Tony Gaples will team for the full season in the Blackdog Racing Nissan. It will mark the first time since 2018 that the Blackdog squad will enter a multi-driver championship, having competed in that year’s Pirelli Sprint X Championship.
They will drive the No. 9 Blackdog Nissan Z NISMO GT4 in the Pirelli GT4 America Pro-Am category starting at Sonoma Raceway in early April.
The goal is to add to Blackdog Racing’s impressive record of 42 GT4/GTS wins – the most in series history – along with five Drivers Championships plus four Team and Manufacturers titles.
A fixture in the SRO/World Challenge paddock since 2002, Gaples is coming off a solo season in the GT America Powered by AWS GT4 championship in a Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R. He posted a long-awaited victory at Sebring and recorded two additional podium finishes in a highly competitive category.
This isn’t the first time that Gaples and Cooper have teamed together, having driven together during the 2018 Sprint X campaign. A five-time champion in World Challenge/SRO competition, Cooper’s best years have come with Blackdog Racing. Of his 34 wins, 19 have come in Blackdog machinery with four championships to go along with those victories.
Cooper contested six Pirelli GT4 America races in Pro-Am a year ago, netting two victories, one runner-up finish and a pole position.
Blackdog Racing will make its Pirelli GT4 America debut at Sonoma Raceway from April 5-7.
TONY GAPLES, NO. 9 BLACKDOG RACING NISSAN Z NISMO GT4: “After winning last year at Sebring, we’re ready for a new challenge. We’ll find it in Pirelli GT4 America, which is pretty entertaining racing to watch. I’m glad to take this new step with our long-time teammate and friend Michael. It’s hard to believe it’s been almost 10 years since he started racing for us in GTS. His experience in a number of different cars will help us get up to speed with our new Nissan Z NISMO GT4. I can’t think of a better teammate than Michael or a better team than what we have at Blackdog Racing. We’ll be ready for Sonoma!”
MICHAEL COOPER, NO. 9 BLACKDOG RACING NISSAN Z NISMO GT4: “Getting the band back together at Blackdog Racing is very exciting. Just as exciting is the team’s debut with the Nissan Z NISMO GT4. This team and I have been through several different programs since my first days with them, all of which had great success. I’m very confident in the capabilities of everyone at Blackdog Racing as well as Nissan to field a front-running car. Sharing a GT4 car with Tony in this two-driver format is something with which we have past experience. Any head start we can get on the competition in this series is important. We all know each well enough to hit the ground running.”
RAY SORENSON, TEAM MANAGER, BLACKDOG RACING: “Running the Camaro in GT America Powered by AWS last year and getting Tony a win was a nice way to ease ourselves back into competition shape. Moving to Pirelli GT4 America is a significant step up given the number of experienced drivers, teams and manufacturers. We have a lot of learning to do about the strategy of the series and also the Nissan Z NISMO GT4. We’ve had a chance to take a close look at the car once we got it to the shop to understand its operation and how best to prep it. Bringing Michael back is a huge boost for all of us. He enjoys being part of this team and obviously the feeling is mutual. We’re confident that with our crew and team, we can make an impact this season.”