Up-and-down. Dizzying. Unpredictable… and finally, celebratory.
Yep, that was the day for Blackdog Racing at the end of a three-hour enduro for Pirelli GT4 America at Circuit of the Americas on Saturday. Michael Cooper and Tony Gaples raced their way twice from near the bottom of the Pro-Am class to third at the end of a frantic race in the No. 33 Blackdog Performance McLaren Artura GT4.
It’s the second podium in three 2025 races for the Cooper/Gaples combination. The pairing won the season-opener at Sonoma Raceway a month ago and unofficially sits second in the Pro-Am Drivers Championship.
Cooper qualified second in class earlier in the day, and Gaples drove a solid opening half-hour stint and held position before the first of three full-course yellows. An extra pit stop plus a pitlane speed penalty meant Cooper dropped to ninth in class near the 45-minute mark.
The five-time SRO/World Challenge champion drove his way back up to third place before handing the McLaren back over to Gaples for his final stint. He rejoined eighth in class but was back up to fourth with 45 minutes left before Cooper got back in the McLaren for the final push.
A full-course yellow nearly 15 minutes later brought Cooper back to the Pro-Am pack in eighth place. He quickly moved up to fifth in class shortly after the race resumed with 10 minutes left and took advantage of mistakes by two cars in front of him starting the last lap to snatch and then drive the McLaren home and to the podium.
Blackdog Racing’s next event in Pirelli GT4 America is May 16-18 at Sebring International Raceway.
MICHAEL COOPER, NO. 33 BLACKDOG PERFORMANCE McLAREN ARTURA GT4: “Wow… I don’t think I’ve ever been part of a race as crazy as this one. There were so many ups and downs that we fought through in the race. To come away with a podium feels great. Once it cooled off in the final stint, the car came alive. Thankfully we got that late yellow and were able to make moves and capitalize on other drivers’ mistakes to make up positions. Overall we got good third-place points in a double-points race because the team as a whole never gave up.”
TONY GAPLES, NO. 33 BLACKDOG PERFORMANCE McLAREN ARTURA GT4: “This was one of the most emotional days I’ve had at the racetrack, and I’m happy it ended with us on the podium. I drove past our pitbox and then for some reason turned off the pit-speed limiter right after, then realized what I did. I had to shake that off before I got back in the car. I drove really well but made another mistake on the last stop – I thought the car was off after I hit the button, but apparently it wasn’t or was still running. That resulted in another drive-through for Michael. At that point I thought our race was over but Michael did his usual fantastic job and the late yellow broke our way. I’ve never been so happy with a third-place finish. On to better things at Sebring!”
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.