When co-owners, James Tonna, better known as Chief Rascal, and Barry Fitzpatrick started Joe Rascal, it didn't take long for them to start thinking about racing. In fact, within the first month of the business opening, they were already looking at how they could get a team into the inaugural FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup.

It was a pretty ambitious idea. Joe Rascal was a brand-new business, neither James nor Barry had any experience running a racing team, and they were talking about entering a World Championship on the other side of the world.

A few months later, what had started as a conversation was becoming a reality. We had three riders lined up to represent Joe Rascal: Australian Archie McDonald, Brazilian Eric Granado and American Cody Wyman. There was still an enormous amount of work to do, but slowly everything was coming together.

A few weeks before the opening round, the crew headed to Sydney for some testing with Archie. Our team at Joe Rascal Harley-Davidson had built a Road Glide for him to practice on, hoping it would help him get used to riding something so different from the motorcycles he had spent his career racing. The bike was heavier and slower than the Bagger he would eventually compete on, which was intentional. The thinking was that if he could get comfortable on that, the actual race bike would feel much easier.

Before we knew it, we were on a plane to Austin, Texas, for the first round at the Circuit of the Americas. Standing in the MotoGP paddock at COTA was a pretty surreal feeling. Just six months earlier, we had been back in Melbourne getting Joe Rascal off the ground, and now here we were, about to compete in a World Championship.

We went into that first weekend thinking we would be doing well just to keep up with the Americans. They had years of experience racing Baggers in the King of the Baggers Championship, whereas this was completely new territory for us. We knew we had talented riders, but we weren't really sure what to expect when they got out on track.

It only took a couple of hours of testing for us to realise that we might have been worrying about the wrong things. Archie and Eric were immediately among the fastest riders, alongside Oscar from Niti Racing, and much of the field was struggling to match their pace. Suddenly, the conversations in the garage started to change. We weren't just hoping to keep up anymore. We were starting to think we might actually have a chance of winning. And then Archie went and did exactly that.

In the very first race of the championship, Archie McDonald crossed the line in first place, becoming the first-ever race winner of the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup.

The following race was another incredible result, with Eric finishing second and Archie third. We were leaving Austin with three podium finishes and a race victory. For a team that hadn't even existed six months earlier, it was a pretty incredible start.

Mugello, Italy

By the time we arrived at Mugello for Round 2, things were already starting to get more competitive. Former MotoGP rider Andrea Iannone had been announced as Niti Racing's third rider, adding another very experienced name to the championship.

Eric finished second in both races, with Archie third in both, giving us another four podium finishes across the weekend.

Assen, Netherlands

Assen was a big weekend for Joe Rascal, both on and off the track.

It was where we said goodbye to Cody Wyman and welcomed Jordi Torres into the team. Jordi brought a huge amount of experience with him as a two-time MotoE World Champion, but what stood out almost immediately was how easily he fitted in with everyone. He was a great addition to the garage, and we were excited to see what he could do on the Bagger.

There was also something much more personal happening that weekend. Earlier in the year, Archie had tragically lost his older brother, Toby. It had been an incredibly difficult few months for him and his family, and while he continued to turn up and race, we all knew there was a lot more going on behind the scenes than what people saw on television.

Throughout June, Archie had been taking part in the Push-Up Challenge, completing 3,307 push-ups over the month to raise awareness for mental health and honour the lives lost to suicide in Australia in 2024.

It was something that meant a great deal to him, and we wanted to find a way to support it as a team. For Assen, Joe Rascal partnered with Push for Better and unveiled a new livery dedicated to mental health awareness. The design would stay on our bikes for the remainder of the season, taking that message with us everywhere we raced. We had been given this incredible opportunity to compete on the MotoGP stage, with people watching from all over the world, and it felt important to use that platform for something beyond racing. If seeing those bikes encouraged even one person to start a conversation or reach out for help, then it was worth doing.

We headed into the weekend hoping for a good result, particularly for Archie. Unfortunately, things didn't get off to the best start. During FP1, Archie suffered a heavy crash that left him with multiple injuries. After everything he had already been through that year, it was awful to see him hurting again. But in typical Archie fashion, he wasn't about to give up on the weekend. He got back on the bike and managed to qualify sixth.

Meanwhile, Eric was having a fantastic weekend, and in Race 1, he finally got the victory we had all been waiting for. Eric had been so close to winning on several occasions, and we knew how badly he wanted that first win. Watching him cross the line in first place at Assen was a really special moment for the whole team. 

Archie finished fourth and Jordi fifth, a solid result considering everything that had happened.

In Race 2, Eric was back on the podium in third, with Jordi fourth and Archie fifth.

Silverstone, Great Britain

The month between Assen and Silverstone was a welcome break for everyone, especially Archie, who finally had some time to rest and recover properly.

By the time we arrived in England, the boys were ready to get back into it, and we had a feeling it could be a good weekend.

Bradley Smith had joined the grid as a wildcard for ParkinGO, bringing even more MotoGP experience into the championship. He went on to win the opening race, with Archie finishing second and Eric third.

Another double podium was a great way to start the weekend, but it was Race 2 that none of us will ever forget. Archie won. Eric finished second. Jordi finished third. All three Joe Rascal riders on the podium, together. We had just achieved the first full podium sweep in the history of the Bagger World Cup, and it would remain the only one of the entire season.

Looking at that podium and seeing all three of our boys up there was something else. We had spent months travelling around the world together, working through problems, celebrating good results and dealing with the difficult weekends, and suddenly we had all three riders standing on the podium at Silverstone. It was an incredibly proud moment for everyone involved, but I think what made Silverstone even more special was seeing Archie win again. There is a saying that it cannot rain forever. Eventually, the sun comes out. After everything Archie had been through, Silverstone felt a little bit like that.

Of course, winning a motorcycle race doesn't make everything else in life better, and it certainly doesn't take away what he had experienced. But seeing him back on the top step, smiling and celebrating with his teammates, was something we had all wanted for him. We couldn't have been prouder.

Aragón, Spain

Aragón was our second-last round of the championship and our final weekend with Jordi Torres. By this point, Jordi had become a big part of the team, and we were sad to see his time with us coming to an end. He had brought a lot to the garage over the previous three rounds, and it had been a pleasure having him as one of our Rascals.

With the championship getting closer to its conclusion, every race was becoming more important, particularly for Archie and Eric, who were both fighting at the front of the standings.

Race 1 wasn't quite what we had hoped for. On the second lap, Eric ran wide into Turn 5 and crashed out of the race. It was a frustrating result, especially with so much at stake, but Archie managed to bring home another podium in third, with Jordi finishing fourth.

Thankfully, Race 2 was a much better result for the team, with Eric finishing second, Archie third and Jordi fourth. It was another double podium and a good way to finish our time racing with Jordi.

As we packed everything up and prepared for the final round in Austria, it was starting to sink in just how close we were to the end of the season. We had come into the championship not really knowing what to expect, and now, with one round remaining, both Archie and Eric were in contention to become World Champion.

Austria: The Final Round

We arrived at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg knowing that this was going to be the biggest weekend of our season.

Archie was leading the championship on 174 points, with Eric just seven points behind him. Both of our riders had a genuine chance of taking home the title, and after everything we had achieved throughout the year, the thought of finishing our first season with a World Championship was something we were so proud of.

We also had a new Rascal joining us for the final round, American rider James Rispoli. James brought plenty of personality to the team, and it didn't take long for him to fit right in. He was funny, enthusiastic and completely himself, which made him a perfect addition to the Rascal crew. It was great to have him with us for such an important weekend.

There was a lot riding on those final two races, the boys had everything to fight for.

When the lights went out for Race 1, Archie made a good start and quickly moved towards the front, with Andrea Iannone and Eric close behind.

Then, on the second lap, everything changed. While fighting for second, Andrea went for a gap that wasn't quite there and collided with Eric, sending both riders crashing out of the race. It was heartbreaking to watch. We knew straight away what that meant for Eric's championship hopes. He had come into the weekend just seven points behind Archie, having spent the entire year working towards this moment, and suddenly it was over. There was nothing he could do. It was incredibly difficult to see, not just because of the championship, but because we knew how much Eric had put into the season. He had been there from the very beginning, helping us build this team into what it had become, and he deserved the opportunity to fight for the title right until the end. Watching that opportunity disappear after just one lap was devastating.

The race continued, and Archie went on to finish second, while James claimed third in his very first Bagger World Cup race. It was another double podium and a brilliant result for James, who had made an immediate impression on the championship. We were proud of both of them, but it was hard not to feel for Eric at the same time.

That's probably one of the hardest things about having two riders fighting for the same championship. You want both of them to succeed, and while we knew that only one could ultimately win, we had hoped they would both get the chance to fight for it on track.

Going into the final race on Sunday, Archie only needed to finish to secure the World Championship. Simple enough, you would think. But nothing about our season had been particularly straightforward, so perhaps we should have expected one last challenge. Just one lap into the race, Archie realised that his rear brake wasn't working. Of all the things that could have happened when he was so close to winning the championship.

For the rest of the race, he had to manage the bike as best he could, knowing that all he needed to do was get it across the finish line.

Meanwhile, Eric had decided that if he couldn't win the championship, he was at least going to finish the season with a race victory. He got a fantastic start, moved straight into the lead and never looked back. After what had happened the day before, watching him come out and race like that was incredible. He could have easily let the disappointment get the better of him, but instead he did what he had done all year. He got back on the bike and gave it everything he had.

As the final laps counted down, everyone in the garage was watching two very different races unfold. At the front, we were desperate to see Eric take the win he deserved. Further back, we were just hoping Archie could get that bike home. Eventually, the final lap arrived, and Eric crossed the line in first place, winning the final race of the 2026 season. It was the perfect way for him to finish what had been such a huge year. After the heartbreak of Saturday, he had come back and won on Sunday, and we were so incredibly proud of him.

James also finished his weekend strongly in fourth, another fantastic result for his first weekend. 

And then came Archie. When he crossed the finish line, it was official. Archie McDonald was the 2026 FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup World Champion. He had done it. It's hard to explain what that moment felt like. Just six months earlier, we had been standing in Austin at the first round, and now we were standing in Austria celebrating a World Championship.

For James and Barry, who had decided to take a chance on this crazy idea before Joe Rascal had even properly found its feet, it was something they could only have dreamed of.

For our crew, who had spent the year travelling, working late nights and putting everything they had into making sure each of our riders could be out on the starting line for every race, it was a reward for all the work that most people never get to see.

For Eric, who finished third in the championship, it was a bittersweet end to an otherwise incredible season. We knew how much he wanted that title, and although things hadn't gone his way, he had given us so much to be proud of.

And for Archie, it was something that meant more than any of us could really put into words. At just 20 years old, after the most difficult year of his life, he was a World Champion. We had watched him go through so much, and somehow, through all of it, he had continued to show up, get on the bike and give everything he had. To see him achieve something so extraordinary, knowing what it had taken for him to get there, was a moment we will never forget. We couldn't have been prouder of him.

Looking Back on 2026

When we look back at our first season in the Bagger World Cup, there is a lot to be proud of. Across six rounds and twelve races, our riders stood on the podium twenty one times, with four wins, seven second-place finishes and nine thirds. Archie finished on the podium in ten of the twelve races, and Joe Rascal was the only team to have a rider on the podium at every round.

We won the first-ever race of the championship in Austin, achieved the first and only full podium sweep at Silverstone, and finished the season with Archie as the inaugural World Champion and Eric third in the standings.

But the numbers only tell part of the story. What they don't show is everything that happened between the races. The long days at the circuit, the late nights working on bikes, the flights, the early mornings and the endless amount of work that went into getting us to each round.

They don't show the friendships that were made, the laughs we had or the moments when things went wrong and everyone had to pull together to find a way forward. And they certainly don't show how much this year meant to the people who were part of it.

I don't think any of us will ever forget what it felt like to see Archie cross that finish line in Austria, or to watch all three of our riders standing together on the podium at Silverstone. Those are the moments you work so hard for, and to experience them in our very first year was something none of us will ever take for granted.

More than anything, I think we're proud of the people who made it happen. The riders who trusted us, the mechanics and crew who worked tirelessly behind the scenes, the partners who believed in us and everyone back home who supported us from the very beginning.

What James and Barry started in Melbourne had grown into something much bigger than any of us could have imagined. And the best part is that we're not finished yet.

Back for 2027

After everything that happened in 2026, there was never really any question about whether we wanted to do it all again.

We're incredibly excited to confirm that Joe Rascal will be returning to the FIM Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup for the 2027 season.

This time, we'll be heading into the championship with a year of experience behind us and a World Championship title to our name.

We have a lot of people to thank for making our first season what it was, and we hope everyone who followed us throughout the year knows how much their support has meant.

Six months ago, we were just hoping to make our mark on the Bagger World Cup. Now, we're heading into our second season as World Champions.

 

2027 rider announcements are coming soon.

GO JOE RASCAL FAST.