18.08.2019

KTM’S MANUEL LETTENBICHLER CLAIMS 2019 TENNESSEE KNOCKOUT TITLE

podium-TKO-34 © Shan Moore

This press release has: 9 Images
August 18, 2019

SEQUATCHIE, Tenn. – After finishing runner-up in 2018, German KTM-backed rider, Manuel Lettenbichler, came back and stole the show at this year’s AMA Tennessee Knockout Extreme Enduro (TKO), claiming his first AMA National Championship with the coveted 2019 victory aboard the KTM 300 XC-W TPI.

With FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Cody Webb – a six-time TKO Champion – out with injury, Lettenbichler kept the orange flag flying high with a stellar performance all day. He started out strong, claiming pole position in the hot lap by almost six seconds on the short course, making his way into the three-round “knockout” format with the top starting position. Unlike previous years, the 2019 event was unseasonably dry, making for higher speeds and less technicality for riders with dry rocks and creek beds.

In Knockout Race 1, Lettenbichler bested the competition by two minutes and 20 seconds over the 19-mile loop, once again advancing with the fastest time of the segment. In Knockout Race 2, Lettenbichler was seeded into the first of five groups, where he raced head-to-head against four other riders on the 19-mile course. The German rider was able to top his group in competition, where he ultimately finished second overall with the adjusted times of all five groups combined. In the Final Knockout, riders returned to the short course from earlier in the day as they battled in a 30-minute plus one-lap race to crown a king of the TKO. It was Lettenbichler who grabbed the holeshot and led wire-to-wire in the eight-lap race. He put on a 30-second gap early on and continued to extend his lead throughout the race to ultimately finish just under two minutes ahead of the second-place rider.

Lettenbichler:“The day went well for me, I had no mistakes and I kept a steady pace in the final race to take home the AMA National Championship. The course was very dry this year and it is much hotter and more humidity than I am used to from home so it makes it very challenging. I am very happy to take the win!”

FMF/Maxxis/RPM KTM Racing Team’s Trystan Hart put forth a great performance on Sunday with fifth overall in the Final Knockout, completing seven total laps with a time of 38:02.305. 

Trail Jesters KTM Racing’s Ben Kelley piloted the KTM 300 XC-W TPI to a sixth-place finish in the Final Knockout, coming in just behind Hart with a time of 39:03.742 after seven laps of racing.

Tely Energy Racing/KTM’s Grant Baylor made the late decision to compete this year aboard a new KTM 300 XC-W TPI, claiming a solid top-10 finish with ninth overall in the Final Knockout. His teammate, Liam Draper, finished 14th aboard the same machine.

Final Knockout Results

1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 37:10.257

2. Mario Roman 39:07.341

3. Wade Young 40:57.321

OTHER KTM

5. Trystan Hart (KTM)

6. Ben Kelley (KTM)

9. Grant Baylor (KTM)

10. Ronnie Commo (KTM

14. Liam Draper (KTM)

 

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Images (9)

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2 400 x 1 600 © Shan Moore
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