The 2026 Red Bull Tennessee Knockout will offer more racing than ever before after organisers overhauled the event format for its 16th edition, extending the pro main event, expanding opportunities for amateur riders and introducing new youth classes.  

Scheduled for August 28-30 following its calendar shift to avoid a clash with the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, the iconic US event continues to cap sign-ups at 500 riders and is expected to attract another stacked domestic and international entry list. That field will see the likes of Mani Lettenbichler, Trystan Hart, Billy Bolt and Cody Webb all vying for the top step of the podium. 

Among the most significant revisions are a longer 45-minute-plus-one-lap final for the top 20 riders, revised amateur qualification races and the introduction of dedicated Peewee and Junior Kids categories for riders aged four to 15.  

Read more here: Hard Enduro World Championship Forces 2026 Tennessee Knockout Date Change 

Pro riders join the action on Saturday and Sunday

Saturday’s final Hot Laps and Sunday’s races will include riders from the Pro eMoto, Pro Four-Stroke and Pro Two-Stroke classes.

The professional riders will fight for victory in their respective classes and in the overall classification, while the best amateurs will get the chance to measure themselves against some of the biggest names in world Hard Enduro.

Sunday will feature two Knockout races and a multi-lap main event for the top 20 riders. The main event will increase from 35 minutes to a 45-minute-plus-one-lap format.

In total, the leading riders will race for around three hours across the four rounds. The main event will also decide the distribution of the $12,000 prize purse.

The 2026 Red Bull TKO will also be the final round of the AMA National Hard Enduro Championship, meaning titles will be on the line in several classes.

Cody Webb, a six-time TKO winner, will return aiming to claim his seventh victory at the event.

New format for amateur riders

All amateur riders will complete a Friday Hot Lap, with separate sessions according to class level, to set the starting order for Saturday morning’s TKO Race 1.

Unlike in recent years, all amateurs will take part in that first race. The top 250 riders who complete the course within the 2.5-hour time limit will advance to TKO Race 2, scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

The top 30 riders from TKO Race 2 will move on to race alongside the professionals, starting with the Hot Laps that close out Saturday’s action.

New Peewee and Junior Kids classes

Another new feature will be the addition of five Peewee and Junior Kids classes for riders aged between four and fifteen.

These classes will have their own dedicated course and will race on Friday morning, before the amateur Hot Laps.

The 2026 TKO will include all 23 AMA National Hard Enduro Championship classes, including two eMoto classes for electric motorcycles. Electric motorcycle demo rides will also be available during the weekend.

Entries before July 15

Riders who want to secure their place and receive their personalised 2026 Red Bull TKO number plate decal must enter before July 15.

They will also need to request their number from the AMA National Hard Enduro Championship organisers so their personalised number decal can include their name.

More information:  www.tennesseeknockoutenduro.com

Photo credit: Red Bull Content Pool | Christian Pondella