The Red Bull Tennessee Knockout Extreme Enduro (TKO) returns to the Trials Training Center August 28–30 for its 16th running, and this year’s event brings some significant changes to the race format.
The biggest change for amateur riders is simple: more time on the course.
In previous years, not every amateur rider had the opportunity to compete in the first Knockout race. This year, every amateur entrant will take part in Saturday morning’s TKO Race 1 after Friday’s class-specific Hot Laps determine starting positions.
The top 250 riders who complete Race 1 within the 2½-hour time limit will advance to Saturday afternoon’s Knockout Race 2. From there, the top 30 amateur riders will earn the opportunity to line up with the professional riders for the final stages of the weekend.
That means more riders get to experience the challenging terrain at TTC, and the strongest amateur riders get a chance to test themselves against some of the best Hard Enduro racers in the world.
New classes bring younger riders into the TKO
Another major addition for 2026 is the introduction of five Peewee and Junior classes for riders ages 4–15.
The youth races will take place on their own dedicated course Friday morning, before the amateur Hot Laps begin. It adds a new dimension to an event that already attracts riders ranging from first-time competitors to international Hard Enduro stars.
And with all 23 classes of the AMA National Hard Enduro Championship represented—including two eMoto classes—the TKO continues to expand the ways riders can participate.
More racing on Sunday
The top riders will also have more time to battle it out on Sunday.
The final day will feature two Knockout races followed by a multi-lap main event for the top 20 riders. The main event has been extended from 35 minutes to 45 minutes plus one lap, giving the finalists another ten minutes of racing before the checkered flag falls.
Taken together, the four rounds give the top riders roughly three hours of racing over the weekend, with a $12,000 purse on the line.
The 2026 TKO is also the final round of the AMA National Hard Enduro Championship, adding championship implications to the already intense racing.
And yes, six-time TKO winner Cody Webb will be back, looking for win number seven.
All of this unfolds right here at the Trials Training Center, where the terrain that makes TTC such a unique riding and training destination becomes one of the world’s toughest Hard Enduro courses for one weekend each year.
For a complete look at the 2026 changes, including the full race format, classes and other TKO updates, read the original announcement on the Tennessee Knockout website:
More Racing and More Classes for 2026 Red Bull Tennessee Knockout
