Coming off a season-opening victory with a new car, Blackdog Racing is gunning for another win in Pirelli GT4 America… this time in a true endurance format.
Michael Cooper and Tony Gaples will pilot the No. 33 Blackdog Performance McLaren Artura GT4 in a three-hour contest at Circuit of The Americas. It’s the lone long-distance race of the season for the GT4 America championship and serves as a double-points event for the series’ three categories.
As it did in the season-opening round at Sonoma, Blackdog Racing is set to take on COTA in the 13-car Pro-Am category. Cooper and Gaples unofficially stand fourth in the class Drivers Championship after two rounds, as does Blackdog Racing in the Teams standings.
A year ago, Cooper captured pole position for Blackdog Racing at COTA, but the team suffered a mechanical issue during an early pit stop and eventually finished seventh in Pro-Am. At the circuit, the team has scored four wins across two event weekends in GT4 competition.
This will be the third event together at COTA for the Cooper/Gaples tandem with the pair recording a GTS Sprint X podium in 2018.
Cooper has a mighty record at COTA including four wins in 2020... including three in one weekend. He also recorded his first victory with the Blackdog team at COTA in 2015 and was part of the Pro-Am winning lineup in 2023. In addition to that, Gaples raced his way to the podium two times in the 2020 spring visit followed by another podium finish later in the season. He also set the fastest lap at COTA in the second of two GT America races during the 2023 season.
Saturday’s race at COTA will be a double-points race, putting an additional emphasis on a positive result. Given the extended length of the event, there are a number of additional regulations that teams must follow.
For one, there is a 100-minute maximum drive-time, and drivers are not permitted to drive more than 50 minutes at a time, and double-stints are not permitted. Tire changes also can be performed during refueling by a maximum of two crew members.
Blackdog Racing and the No. 33 Blackdog Performance McLaren Artura GT4 will race in the three-hour race at COTA at 5:00 p.m. CT on Saturday, April 26. Live coverage of both races plus timing & scoring will be available at gt4-america.com and SRO’s GT World YouTube channel.
MICHAEL COOPER, NO. 33 BLACKDOG PERFORMANCE McLAREN ARTURA GT4: “We’re off to a good start to the season after the first-round win at Sonoma. As important as that was, this weekend at COTA will be just as key. It’s a double-points race, and the team can play a big role in the outcome. I’m confident in the team, in Tony and myself to get us a good result and more points.”
TONY GAPLES, NO. 33 BLACKDOG PERFORMANCE McLAREN ARTURA GT4: “We have a good opportunity to earn a good result and extra points this weekend at COTA. Sonoma showed that we can get good speed out of the McLaren. I know our crew guys will work really hard on tire changes and pit stops to give us the best chance at a podium.”
RAY SORENSON, TEAM MANAGER, BLACKDOG RACING: “Overall, Sonoma was a positive start to our season. Even though we’re still learning a lot about this McLaren, we’re all encouraged with it so far. Having an endurance race adds to the challenge but we’re up for it. I feel like we were competitive last year so the goal obviously is to continue that this time around at COTA.”
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.