Ken Block
November 21, 1967
Kenneth Paul Block (November 21, 1967 – January 2, 2023) was an American professional rally driver with the Hoonigan Racing Division, formerly known as the Monster World Rally Team. Block was also one of the co-founders of DC Shoes. He also competed in many action sports events, including skateboarding, snowboarding, and motocross.
2005
In 2005, Block began his National rallying career with the Vermont Sports Car team. Vermont SportsCar prepared a 2005 Subaru WRX STi for Block to compete. His first event of the rallying season was Sno*Drift, where he ended up finishing seventh overall and fifth in the Group N class. During the 2005 season, Block had five top five finishes and placed third overall in the Group A class and fourth overall in the Rally America National Championship. At the end of his first rallying year, Ken Block had won the Rally America Rookie of the Year award.
2005
In 2005, Block, along with his DC Shoes associates, participated in the Gumball 3000 Rally. For the event, they sent out three modified 2004 Subaru WRX STis sponsored by DC Shoes.
2006
In 2006, Block competed in the One Lap of America competition along with Brian Scotto. They were teamed up in a 2006 Subaru WRX STi and finished forty-fifth overall.
2006
In 2006, Block, along with his DC rally teammate Travis Pastrana, signed a new sponsorship deal with Subaru. Through this deal with Subaru, the teammates became known as "Subaru Rally Team USA." With the new rally season, Block also got a brand-new Vermont SportsCar prepped 2006 Subaru WRX STi. He competed in the first-ever X Games rally event at X Games XII. In the competition, Block ended up finishing third to take the bronze. He went on to compete in the 2006 Rally America National Championship, where he finished second overall.
2006
In 2006, for the Discovery Channel show Stunt Junkies, Block jumped his Subaru WRX STi rally car 171 feet (52 m) and a max height of 25 feet (7.6 m).
2007
In 2007, Block competed in the X Games XIII rally event, where he placed second overall and won a silver medal. In the 2007 Rally America National Championship, Block finished third overall. During this season, Block also entered in a few rounds of the World Rally Championship; Rally Mexico and Rally New Zealand. In Rally New Zealand, Block recorded two top-five stage times in the Group N class. At the end of 2007, Block had achieved 19 podiums and 8 overall victories in rally events.
2007
In 2007, Block joined the DC Shoes Snowboarding team at New Zealand's Snow Park. Block did massive jumps and assisted in snowboarding tricks while driving his rally car on the mountain alongside the snowboarders. A crash after landing a large jump cracked one of the vertebrae in his spine; he was flown to the hospital. The session made the cover of the December 2007 issue of Snowboarder Magazine and closed out the MTN.LAB 1.5 DVD.
2008
In 2008, Block was provided with a brand-new rally-prepped 2008 Subaru WRX STi to compete. Block decided to compete in the Rallye Baie-des Chaleurs of the Canadian Rally Championship to gain some experience with his new 2008 rally car and prepare for the World Rally Championships later in the year. Block gained his first Canadian rally win at the event. This was only the second event for the new car. Block and his co-driver were unable to get any championship points at the event due to not having a Canadian competition license. Block competed in the Rally New York USA competition and finished in first place. In the X Games XIV rally competition, Block finished tied for third place with Dave Mirra. This occurrence was due to both competitors having issues with their car. Block, who made it to the semi-finals of the event, had a radiator problem after landing the car awkwardly on a jump. With both bronze place competitors in damaged cars unable to compete, the medals were awarded to both of them.
October 17, 2008
Block competed in the 2008 Rally America National championship, which concluded on October 17, 2008. In the event, he finished second overall with a strong victory in the last event. In the Lake Superior Performance Rally (LSPR) stage, Block finished over one minute ahead of his next closest competitor and secured the second overall position. Next up for Block this rally season is three World Rally Championship events.
2009
Block appeared in three installments of Codemasters' Dirt racing video games. Block is featured as a driver in 2009's Colin McRae: Dirt 2, along with his Subaru Rally Team USA Impreza. In 2011's Dirt 3 he is seen as a driver and gymkhana teacher, his Monster World Rally Team vehicles are available in the game, including the Ford Fiesta GYM 3, and the Ken Block Ford Focus WRC. His Hoonigan/Monster Ford Fiesta appears extensively in 2012's Dirt: Showdown, and his trademark gymkhana style of driving is featured at the Head-to-Head and Trick Rush race modes as well as the Freestyle section.
2009
In 2009, for the BBC show Top Gear, Block took James May out for Gymkhana-style driving at Block's stunt course at Inyokern Airport, an operational California airport, also starring Ricky Carmichael. In 2010 Block took the feature car from the previous episode (a Reliant Robin) for a lap of the Top Gear test track. He rolled the car and was unable to complete a lap but was unhurt.
2010
In 2010, Block co-founded Gymkhana Grid, a gymkhana race held annually around the world. He won all-wheel-drive event in 2014, beating Jake Archer in the final duel.
August 24, 2010
On August 24, 2010, Block released the first of a three part Gymkhana 3 video release featuring his new Ford Fiesta.
September 14, 2010
On September 14, 2010, Block's third Gymkhana video, featuring a Ford Fiesta, was released on YouTube. The video got more than seven million views in its first week.
August 16, 2011
On August 16, 2011, the fourth Gymkhana video, The Hollywood Megamercial was released on YouTube, featuring Block driving around the Universal Studios backlot.
2012
Block competed at the Global RallyCross Championship from 2011 to 2015. He finished runner-up in 2014 and third in 2013 and fifth in 2012, collecting six wins and 15 podiums.
July 09, 2012
On July 9, 2012, Block released his fifth Gymkhana video on YouTube, featuring Block driving his Ford Fiesta in San Francisco and Travis Pastrana on a dirtbike. After 24 hours, the video was viewed 5.1 million times, making it the top-viewed video of the previous week.
2014
In 2014, Block was third in the Norway round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship and won the Norway round of the European Rallycross Championship.
2017
His Hoonigan-branded cars have also featured in Microsoft's Forza racing video game series. Their first appearance was in expansion packs for Forza Horizon 3 and Forza Motorsport 7 in 2017. Later they were offered as launch cars for 2018's Forza Horizon 4 and 2021's Forza Horizon 5.
2017
In 2017, he finished 9th in points, with a best finish of 7th at Britain and France.
2021
In 2021, Block raced in the Baja 1000 in the trophy truck class finishing in 4th.
2021
In 2021, Block started a collaboration with drag racing game CSR Racing 2.
2021
In 2021, Ken Block collaborated with Rotiform and Fuel Off-Road through Wheel Pros to make 4 sets of signature wheels.
January 2023
After selling his ownership of DC Shoes, Block shifted his business focus to Hoonigan Industries, an apparel brand for auto enthusiasts. He was the co-owner and "Head Hoonigan In Charge" (HHIC) at the company before his death in a snowmobile accident in January 2023.
January 02, 2023
On January 2, 2023, Ken Block died at age 55 in a snowmobile accident near his ranch in Woodland, Utah. The Wasatch County sheriff's department reported that Block had been riding in the Mill Hollow area when his snowmobile upended on a steep slope and landed on top of him. Block was declared dead at the scene of the accident. As a mark of respect, the number 43 would be retired from the World Rally Championship for the 2023 season in his honor. Hoonigan confirmed in a statement on Instagram, "It's with our deepest regrets that we can confirm that Ken Block passed away in a snowmobile accident today. Ken was a visionary, a pioneer and an icon. And most importantly, a father and husband. He will be incredibly missed."
