Blackdog at the Brickyard: Let’s Close the Season in Style

LINCOLNSHIRE, Illinois (October 3, 2023) – One of GT4 racing’s top programs will close its season at one of the world’s most historic venues as Blackdog Speed Shop races for the first time at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the final two rounds of the GT America powered by AWS championship.
 
Tony Gaples will arrive at the Indianapolis Road Course off his first victory of the season in the No. 5 Blackdog Speed Shop Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R – a thrilling final-minute win to give Gaples his first win in the series since 2017. The result put Gaples and Blackdog Speed Shop fourth in the GT4 Drivers and Teams championship standings with a pair of 40-minute sprint races on tap at Indy.
 
The Friday and Sunday rounds at the 2.44-mile, 14-turn circuit will mark Gaples’ first time at Indianapolis since 2001 when he raced Ferrari Challenge. To be successful at IMS, the Blackdog team will need to follow the same formula it has used in the season’s second half: tire management, consistent practices and moving through the field once the green flag falls.
 
That worked well at Sebring as Gaples went from seventh early in Race One at Sebring to fourth, and then from third to first in Race Two.
 
Blackdog Speed Shop and the No. 5 Camaro will race in the first of two GT America races from Indianapolis at 1:40 p.m. ET on Friday followed by Sunday’s season finale at 8:35 a.m. ET. Live coverage of both races plus timing & scoring will be available at gtamerica.us and SRO’s GT World YouTube channel.
 
TONY GAPLES, NO. 5 BLACKDOG SPEED SHOP CHEVROLET CAMARO GT4.R: “After the win at Sebring, we’re coming into Indianapolis with great momentum. It’s a good thing to have coming to a place like this. I feel like the track could be decent for us. There are a lot of high- and medium-speed sections where our car typically is pretty good. The biggest risk/reward will be Turn One, but there are a few other places where we can make up time and positions. If we can stay out of trouble and be toward the front, good things will happen.”
 

RAY SORENSON, TEAM MANAGER, BLACKDOG SPEED SHOP: “The team was able to enjoy the win at Sebring, but it was back to work quickly to get ready for Indianapolis. This obviously is a place that is very special, especially to those of us who have been part of the 500. No matter what race it is, winning at Indianapolis is very special. Our guys are completely focused on getting that done and finishing this season strong.”