the Hooligan 100

Rusty Butcher’s innapropriate motorcycle race at Loretta Lynn’s ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee

Words: Mark Atkins
Photos: Geoff Kowalchuk

From the first time we were dubbed “Hooligan” in 2015 until now, a lot has changed. The flat-track side of hooligan racing is damn near dead, and the focus has shifted heavily toward off-road hooligan racing.

In 2018, a year after Biltwell finished the NORRA 1000 on a Sportster, Heatwave Visual approached me to build an off-road race bike for the Mint 400—the year they brought motorcycles back to the race. None of us in that first group had a clue what we were doing, and by the end of the weekend, that became 100% obvious. Lost bags, lost tools, lost dignity… all left somewhere out in the Nevada desert. But one thing stayed with me for the next seven years: just how insane that race really was. Hooligan bikes are NOT built for 100+ mile desert races, and we learned that the hard way. It hooked me instantly because it separated the strong from the weak. You need real grit and determination to finish these long races.

Each year, the bikes evolved as we fixed issues from the previous seasons. Fast forward to 2024: Rusty Butcher moved from CA to TN, and I realized we were navigating what was left of the hooligan scene—a small, rag-tag group of dedicated off-road hooligan racers. That’s when it hit me that I needed to go all-in and develop any and every part I could to push this movement forward myself.

I started a group chat with one rule: you must own an off-road Sportster. From there, the community began growing one rider at a time. We helped bring the 5-gallon Carducci x IMS tank to the market, which sparked a wave of new builds coming down the pipeline. Rusty Butcher became Rusty Butcher Racing, and eventually evolved into Hooligan Racing. Now, we supply about 95% of everything you need to build the baddest bikes out there.

Today, we have 150+ dedicated racers in the group chat and more events popping up every month. The Biltwell 100 reignited something the racing world had been missing—an event where you can have fun and race at the same time. Camping, good vibes, and good old-fashioned motorcycle racing. Events like that are shaping what the new hooligan scene represents.

Today the rules are simple in hooligan racing: no pros, keep the stock front loop of your frame, no mono-shocks, and the rest is up to you to figure out. With these simple guidelines that Biltwell and Rusty Butcher helped establish, more and more bike builds are coming to life. Sportsters are cheap, easy to find, and Hooligan Racing parts are available 24/7 to support the growing scene.

2026 is set to have more off-road hooligan races than ever before, along with the biggest wave of new racers signing up for Hooligan Racing. Get on the train now and start building your own bike for some good times.