AUSTIN, Texas (March 29, 2026) — The opening round of the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup delivered intense on-track battles and dramatic moments at the Circuit of the Americas, as the new global championship in partnership with MotoGP™ officially came to life alongside the MotoGP™ Grand Prix of the Americas.
Both the races of the weekend were fought until the final laps, producing the first two winners in the history of the category. Archie McDonald (Joe Rascal Racing) claimed victory in Race 1 on Saturday, while Oscar Gutiérrez (Niti Racing) secured the win in Race 2 on Sunday.
Race 1
At the start of the first race in championship history, young Australian Archie McDonald launched perfectly from the grid, getting the better of teammate Eric Granado, who had secured pole position in qualifying with a lap time of 2:12.387.
The battle between the two intensified at mid-race, with Granado taking the lead after a mistake from McDonald. However, the Australian responded shortly after, reclaiming the position when Granado lost the front under braking and dropped back through the field.
Jake Lewis (Saddlemen Race Development) delivered a strong and consistent ride to take second place, showcasing experience and control across the race distance, while Filippo Rovelli (ParkinGO Team) secured third with a composed and disciplined performance to round out the podium.
Race 2
McDonald and Granado were once again protagonists at the start of Race 2, with the Australian repeating his strong launch off the line. The two Joe Rascal Racing riders immediately set a fast pace, but were unable to break away from Oscar Gutiérrez (Niti Racing), who steadily increased his rhythm lap after lap. The Spanish rider closed the gap and executed two clean overtakes to take the lead, going on to secure victory at the checkered flag.
On lap five, Gutiérrez also set a new benchmark for the category at the Austin circuit with a time of 2:12.348, establishing both the race lap record and the all-time lap record for the Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup at Circuit of the Americas.
Second at the finish line was Archie McDonald, but a three-second penalty for failing to complete the prescribed Long Lap after twice exceeding track limits dropped the Australian to third in the final classification, promoting Eric Granadoto second.
Jeffrey Schuessler – Director of Global Racing Programs, Harley-Davidson
“This weekend delivered exactly what we set out to build. Close racing, battles decided in the final laps, and riders pushing these machines to the limit from the very start. The level of competition showed up immediately, and that’s a strong indication of where this championship is headed.
We also saw different riding styles coming together on track, with riders finding their own way to be fast on these bikes. That created some really interesting race dynamics and showed how competitive and adaptable this grid already is from the first round.
What’s been especially powerful is the global nature of the championship, with riders and teams from different parts of the world coming together to be part of something new. That’s a significant step forward for the series.
And then there’s the emotion. You feel it in the sound, the torque, and the presence of these bikes on track. It’s raw, it’s different, and it’s real. This is not just racing. We’re building something new here, a global platform that brings a different kind of energy to the MotoGP stage and connects with fans in a way that is authentic to Harley-Davidson.”
Archie McDonald – Joe Rascal Racing
Race 1 Winner
“History. That’s the first word that comes to my mind. It was the first race in the history of the Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup, and I took the first win, hopefully the first of many. I’m really happy. There has been a lot of preparation behind this project, from myself, the team and Harley-Davidson, so this result feels amazing. I had a strong start, even if leading early wasn’t ideal. Granado passed me after a mistake, I stayed with him, and then he made a mistake and I took the lead again. My plan was to wait until the final laps to make a move, but in the end I didn’t need to. I’m sorry about Eric’s crash, as it’s not the way I wanted to win, but I’m still enjoying the moment. I’m really proud of my team and Harley-Davidson for making history with me, and I thank them all.”
Oscar Gutiérrez – Niti Racing
Race 2 Winner
“I’m very happy with this win. We did a great job regaining our focus after Race 1, and this was the best way to finish the Austin weekend. Already this morning I felt we had the potential to do it. I had a great feeling with the bike from the sighting lap and told my team that today was the right day. During the race I took my time to study Archie and Eric in front of me and understand where I could attack them. Then there was a moment when I clearly felt stronger, so I decided to increase the pace and make my moves. It’s a great victory, but we need to keep working well because the championship may look short, but it is still long with many races to go. We are already looking ahead to Mugello and continuing on this path. One area where I still need to improve is the start. At the beginning of the race I had to push to recover because McDonald and Granado started very strong. But I knew that if I stayed calm I could come back, and that’s what I did. I stayed patient for a couple of laps, then when I felt I had more pace I made the overtakes and in the end took a win that makes me very happy.”
Following the opening round, Archie McDonald leads the championship standings with 41 points, ahead of Oscar Gutiérrez and Jake Lewis, both on 33 points.
Championship Standings:
Archie McDonald (AUS) – 41 (25 / 16)
Oscar Gutiérrez (SPA) – 33 (8 / 25)
Jake Lewis (USA) – 33 (20 / 13)
Eric Granado (BRA) – 30 (10 / 20)
Filippo Rovelli (ITA) – 27 (16 / 11)
Cory West (USA) – 23 (13 / 10)
Travis Wyman (USA) – 11 (11 / -)
Cody Wyman (USA) – 9 (9 / -)
Dimas Ekky Pratama (INA) – 9 (- / 9)
The next round of the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup will take place at the Mugello International Circuitduring the MotoGP™ Grand Prix of Italy, from May 29–31.
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