2024 Tennessee Knockout: Lettenbichler fastest in TKO ‘Hot Lap’ qualifying

Hard Enduro World Champion Manuel Lettenbichler was on fire in the Red Bull Tennessee Knockout Hot Lap qualifying, topping the results ahead of Wade Young and Trystan Hart.

After a “disappointing” TKO straight rhythm result in Downtown Nashville on Thursday –where the Hard Enduro World Champion got knocked out in the first round – normal service was resumed for Red Bull KTM’s Manuel Lettenbichler in Saturday’s qualifying.

Quickly back at home on the slippery Tennessee rocks, Lettenbichler was typically swift covering the short lap at the Sequatchie Trials Training Center in a time of just over six minutes.

The hot lap qualifying establishes start order for the Sunday races the top three positions gain HEWC points. The top five consisted Lettenbichler, Wade Young, Trystan Hart, Ashton Brightmore impressing in fourth ahead of Mario Roman.

Outside the top five the gaps stretched out and it’s fair to say some of the US Hard Enduro regular riders got a taste of how fast these boys from Europe are riding.

Here‘s what the old master made of it...

Sunday presents riders with a different picture with a full-on day of hard enduro, featuring three knockout-style races where only the top finishers make it through each leg to the sprint-style, 35-minute-plus-one-lap final.

The top 30 from the amatuer races on Saturday also make it through to Sunday‘s Pro finals.

2024 TKO Hot Lap results (top 20):

1          Lettenbichler, Mani    6:05,90 lap time         

2          Young, Wade              6:14,95            +09.05

3          Hart, Trystan               6:15,95            +10.05

4          Brightmore, Ashton    6:19,03            +13.13

5          Roman, Mario             6:22,81            +16.91

6          Kabakchiev, Teodor    6:25,01            +19.11 +00'05'' time penalty

7          Haaker, Colton            6:28,21            +22.31              

8          Gomez, Alfredo           6:29,73            +23.83            

9          Jarvis, Graham             6:30,04            +24.14            

10        Webb, Cody                6:31,59            +25.69            

11        Brightmore, Mitch      6:44,01            +38.11              

12        Cyprian, David             6:51,18            +45.28            

13        Moret Clota, Francesc 6:56,29            +50.39

14        Riordan, Will               6:57,36            +51.46

15        Leblond, Ryder            6:58,69            +52.79

16        Ashburn, Jordan         7:24,58            +1:18.68

17        Green, Matthew         7:30,62            +1:24.72

18        Flynn, James               7:47,51            +1:41.61

19        Wentzel, Quinn           7:51,08            +1:45.18

20        Bolopue, Logan           8:07,18            +2:01.28

More results: www.iridehardenduro.com/events/red-bull-tko

Amateur qualifying results: www.moto-tally.com/USHE/Results.aspx

Photo Credit: Future7Media