Harley-Davidson Celebrates Archie McDonald as the First FIM Bagger World Cup Champion

Archie McDonald secures the inaugural title at the Red Bull Ring, with Oscar Gutiérrez and Eric Granado completing the championship podium after a season of close competition.

SPIELBERG, AUSTRIA – September 22, 2026 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – Archie McDonald (Joe Rascal Racing) has made history as the first-ever FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup Champion, bringing the inaugural season to a close after a dramatic final race at the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring. 

The title fight went down to the final race after Oscar Gutiérrez (Niti Racing) claimed an authoritative Race 1 victory on Saturday ahead of McDonald and James Rispoli (Joe Rascal Racing). With championship rivals Eric Granado (Joe Rascal Racing) and Andrea Iannone (Niti Racing) both retiring, McDonald rode a smart and controlled race to finish second and take a 21-point advantage over Gutiérrez into Sunday’s finale.

In Race 2, Granado made a strong start, took the lead and never looked back, controlling the race from the front to claim his second victory of the season. Gutiérrez finished second, with Kyle Wyman (Wegner Automotive x KWR) completing the podium in third. McDonald crossed the line in eighth place, scoring the points he needed to secure the inaugural championship.

The result crowned McDonald as the inaugural Champion with 202 points, just nine ahead of Gutiérrez with 193 points, while Granado completed the championship podium only one point further back with 192 points.

2026 FIM HARLEY-DAVIDSON BAGGER WORLD CUP CHAMPION
ARCHIE MCDONALD – JOE RASCAL RACING
202 POINTS
Young, ambitious and spectacular to watch, McDonald combined outright speed with remarkable consistency throughout a demanding inaugural season. The Australian claimed two race victories and one pole position, while establishing himself as a regular presence at the front. His campaign was not without setbacks, including a significant crash at Assen, but he repeatedly responded with the resilience and determination of a title contender. As the season progressed, his approach became increasingly mature, balancing his natural aggression with intelligent championship management – an approach he demonstrated perfectly in Austria, managing his race to finish second in Race 1 before bringing the motorcycle home safely in eighth in Race 2 to secure the inaugural title.

Archie McDonald – Joe Rascal Racing
“This has been such an emotional season. After winning the opening race and, weeks later, seeing my brother pass away, it’s nothing I ever thought I’d experience. To say goodbye to him, say goodbye to my family, and go overseas to keep training and keep following this dream… it’s such a relief now that it’s paid off.

I’m so sorry to my family and my friends that I left behind in Australia to focus on this goal. Now I’m going to celebrate with them and continue grieving, as I’ve put it in a hole in the back of my mind this whole time.

I dedicate this completely to Toby. I love you and I miss you so much, and I keep my arms wide open to anyone who needs it. What my family has gone through is not a normal experience, but to have him on the back of my bike with me in those last few laps was the best extra weight I could have asked for in any race.

I had the points lead from yesterday and, like I said, this is a dream come true. This is a goal come true. This is years and years of setbacks and blood, sweat and tears put into something.

I can’t thank everyone behind the scenes enough – from my manager to my coach, to my dad, my family, my friends, the whole Bagger World Cup, and Joe Rascal Racing. I can’t thank them enough. It’s an absolute relief and a goal that we’ve achieved. And, like I said to my brother Toby: I love you and I miss you.”

SECOND
OSCAR GUTIÉRREZ – NITI RACING
193 POINTS
Raw speed was never in question for Gutiérrez, who established himself as one of the most exciting riders in the field and backed that pace up with four race victories – more than any other rider – and one pole position. His spectacular overtaking moves and aggressive corner entries became a hallmark of his season. While a handful of costly crashes prevented him from converting all of that speed into the points his pace suggested were possible, his commanding Race 1 victory in Austria showed another side of his racing, combining outright pace with composure under pressure. A second-place finish in Race 2 completed a 45-point weekend and took his championship challenge all the way to the final race, ultimately securing second overall by a single point.

THIRD
ERIC GRANADO – JOE RASCAL RACING
192 POINTS
Granado combined remarkable consistency with exceptional outright speed, claiming two race victories and a championship-leading four pole positions during the inaugural season. The Brazilian’s clean, precise and elegant riding style proved perfectly suited to the Harley-Davidson Road Glide, making him a constant presence at the front and allowing him to collect valuable points across a wide variety of circuits and conditions. After his Race 1 retirement ended his title challenge, Granado responded in emphatic fashion on Sunday, taking the lead early and controlling Race 2 from the front to claim the final victory of the season and finish third in the championship, just one point behind Gutiérrez and ten behind McDonald. 

FINAL 2026 CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

1. Archie McDonald (AUS) – 202 points
2. Oscar Gutiérrez (SPA) – 193 points
3. Eric Granado (BRA) – 192 points
4. Andrea Iannone (ITA) – 157 points
5. Jake Lewis (USA) – 117 points
6. Filippo Rovelli (ITA) – 99 points
7. Travis Wyman (USA) – 83 points
8. Jordi Torres (SPA) – 77 points
9. Maxwell Toth (USA) – 62 points
10. Dimas Ekky Pratama (INA) – 60 points
11. Cory West (USA) – 56 points
12. Bradley Smith (GBR) – 36 points
13. Kyle Wyman (USA) – 29 points
14. James Rispoli (USA) – 29 points
15. Cody Wyman (USA) – 26 points
16. Max Flinders (USA) – 14 points 

Jeffrey Schuessler – Director of Global Racing Programs, Harley-Davidson
“We’re incredibly proud to celebrate Archie McDonald as the first FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup Champion. Congratulations to him and the entire Joe Rascal Racing team on an incredible achievement. And just as importantly, thank you to every rider, team, partner and person who believed in this program and helped us bring it to life.

One year ago, we were here in Austria announcing this championship. We didn’t have teams, riders or even the race motorcycles yet. We had an idea, a plan and a lot of ambition. Today, we have a global racing series competing alongside MotoGP, with teams and riders from around the world. It’s pretty incredible to see how far we’ve come.

This first season was about building the foundation and proving what this series could be, and the racing delivered beyond our expectations: five different race winners, every team on the podium and four riders arriving at the final round still fighting for the title. At the same time, seeing Harley-Davidson shirts throughout the MotoGP paddock and grandstands, and watching two very different motorcycle communities come together around the racing, has been incredibly rewarding.

This is only the beginning. Our ambition is to continue growing the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup with more teams, more riders, more races and new markets around the world, while creating even more opportunities for our dealers, H.O.G. members and fans to be part of it. We built a strong foundation this year. Now it’s time to build on it.”

Jason Kehl – Technical Director and Team Principal, Harley-Davidson Factory Racing
“The inaugural season of the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup gave the global racing community its first opportunity to experience the unique look, sound and feel of a truly high-performance Harley-Davidson motorcycle. I’m incredibly excited by what these 200-plus-horsepower machines demonstrated on track in the hands of world-class riders and teams.

Mind-blowing lap times, 62 degrees of lean angle and wheelie-inducing torque have left fans and riders asking for more. The performance and reliability of the 131ci (2,152cc) Screamin’ Eagle 131R engine, combined with a Factory Racing-developed chassis, proved that these motorcycles belong at the highest levels of racing.

Harley-Davidson itself started with a few guys in a shed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who had a vision and a dream. More than a century later, this entire bagger racing project started in much the same way: with a few guys in a garage in Milwaukee, with a vision and a dream of their own. Seeing that dream come to life as an entirely new racing category alongside MotoGP, the world’s premier motorcycle racing series, is something we are incredibly proud of. Yet development never stops, and I can’t wait to show the world what we have planned for 2027.”

About FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup

The FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup is the first global championship exclusively dedicated to high-performance Harley-Davidson bagger motorcycles, organized by Harley-Davidson in partnership with MotoGP™ and officially recognized by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). The series is contested at selected international circuits alongside the MotoGP™ calendar, bringing Harley-Davidson’s iconic machines into a premier global racing environment. The championship combines heritage, technical innovation, and on-track competition, extending the brand’s racing legacy onto the world stage. Learn more on the dedicated FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup page at www.harley-davidson.com.

About Harley-Davidson 

Harley-Davidson, Inc. is the parent company of Harley-Davidson Motor Company and Harley-Davidson Financial Services. Our vision: Building our legend and leading our industry through innovation, evolution and emotion. Our mission: More than building machines, we stand for the timeless pursuit of adventure. Freedom for the soul. Since 1903, Harley-Davidson has defined motorcycle culture with an expanding range of leading-edge, distinctive and customizable motorcycles in addition to riding experiences and exceptional motorcycle accessories, riding gear and apparel. Harley-Davidson Financial Services provides financing, insurance and other programs to help get Harley-Davidson riders on the road. Learn more at www.harley-davidson.com.

MotoGP™ Background

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Source: Harley-Davidson, Inc.

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