Forte Racing Earns Win and Pole in Mixed-Fortunes Road America Weekend

Monrovia, California (Tuesday, August 19, 2025) – Forte Racing’s expanded two-car McLaren Trophy America program experienced both triumph and adversity at Road America. The No. 24 Cypress Land McLaren, driven by Tanner Harvey and Patrick Liddy, made a dream debut with a class victory on Saturday before being sidelined by a last-lap qualifying incident on Sunday. Meanwhile, the No. 53 RP Motorsports by Forte Racing entry continued to showcase its front-running pace, claiming overall pole position for Race 2 and adding another Papaya Cup podium.

Tanner Harvey reflected on the highs and lows of the weekend, emphasizing both the pace the car showed and the lessons learned.

“Road America was an incredible first weekend in the McLaren series,” Harvey said. ”We showed strong pace right away, topping FP1 and running near the front through practice and qualifying. Race 1 was cut short due to weather, but it was great to bring home a solid result with Patrick and the Forte Racing team. Unfortunately, qualifying for Race 2 ended early for us after a mistake in Turn 13, but that’s racing — we’ll regroup and be ready to fight again at Indianapolis.”

Patrick Liddy built on Harvey’s thoughts, noting the strength of the car and the team environment in their debut outing.

“It was great to join Forte for our debut weekend in McLaren Trophy,” Liddy said. “The car and team dynamics were amazing, special thanks to our talented engineer Pete Jacobs. After putting it P1 overall in Practice, my co-driver Tanner drove an amazing race in inclement conditions to P1 in class in our first race. An unfortunate incident for Tanner in qualifying took us out of contention for Race 2 but has only made us more determined for our final round at Indianapolis.”

On Sunday, the team’s focus shifted to the No. 53 entry, where Kevin Madsen delivered another standout qualifying performance, earning his second overall pole of the season while showcasing the team’s mission of raising awareness for Relapsing Polychondritis.

“Thanks to the RP Motorsports by Forte team! Neil had a ton of uninterrupted drive time this weekend as the car was well prepped,” Madsen said. “I was able to stick us on pole again for the same reasons. Lots of great airtime, views, comments and messages from folks watching and asking about Relapsing Polychondritis. That widespread awareness and fundraising continued over into the hot laps in a McLaren GTS afterwards. Thanks to all involved including McLaren Customer Racing.”

Neil Langberg pointed to the teamwork and broader mission of the program, underscoring how the weekend strengthened both competitive and community goals.

“This past weekend?! legendary, transformative, and “FORTE-fied!” Excellent collaboration by the team in tricky conditions, even while racing in the rain. Clearly, not just workin’ on the highway, but pushing our limits on and off the track,” Langberg said. “Strong connections were made in racing and in partnerships throughout the paddock giving us lots to look forward to as we keep our poise with our eyes up looking to the finish, staying strong all the way to the final races at IMS in mid-October. I can’t wait for the 2025 MTA Finish Line Social fueled for Race for RP on 10/17/2025; a time to share what the series has meant to us and to our goals with respect to autoimmune disease research. There should be a lot of papaya for all!”

.RP Motorsports by Forte Racing program manager Jon Miller praised the progress being made, pointing to consistent front-running pace as proof of the team’s growth.

“The team and drivers are hitting their stride as we move towards the final races of the inaugural McLaren Trophy America season,” Miller said. “Two overall pole positions for the No. 53 show the speed and confidence that the team has developed out of this new car and a handful of podium finishes in our pocket further cements the progress. We look towards the final event at Indy with excitement and a renewed focus on bringing home a victory for RP Motorsports by Forte racing. See you there!”

Forte Racing’s McLaren Trophy America team manager David Cozart noted that the weekend delivered both disappointment and reward, but ultimately succeeded in advancing the team’s broader mission.

“Race 1 was bittersweet as I was looking forward to seeing the competition play out, but Mother Nature had a different story to tell. That being said, my favorite part of that race was Tanner saying, ‘This is so fun!’ whilst driving in the rain,” Cozart said. “Race 2 qualifying was challenging with the No. 24 car having a last-lap incident that kept car sidelined for the race, but on the other side of the scale, Kevin, driving the No. 53 car, started on the overall pole and drove a great stint before handing the car to Neil, who pushed hard for a podium in Papaya Cup. Most importantly, the weekend garnered great exposure for the Race for RP Foundation — so in that sense, mission accomplished.”

Team principal Shane Seneviratne closed the weekend on a positive note, highlighting the resilience of the team and the progress being made.

“Road America gave us a mix of results, but overall, I’m proud of the way the team responded to every challenge,” Seneviratne concluded. “A debut win for the No. 24, another pole for the No. 53, and strong exposure for the Race for RP mission are all achievements we can build on. The growth and spirit within this program are clear, and we’re motivated to finish the season strong at Indianapolis.”
The final two races of the McLaren Trophy America season will take place at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway October 16-18. Don’t wait until October to learn more about the team and their mission—watch the award-winning documentary The Race of Our Lives, now streaming on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0tZYRazk8U.

RP Motorsports by Forte Racing remains committed to using motorsports as a platform for change, combining elite competition with a mission to advance research and awareness for autoimmune diseases. Fans can follow the team’s progress and support the cause by visiting www.raceforrp.org and www.forteracing.com.