The motor sports world will never be the same following the passing of beloved Ken Block.
Block unfortunately passed away in January 2023, following a tragic snowmobile accident at his Utah ranch. In the midst of this devastating event, many fans took to the internet to pay their respects and remember Ken Block for the mark he made on the world of motorsports. From a rallying career that had him partnering with the likes of Subaru and racing Ford Fiestas to helping popularize Gymkhana, Ken Block was no stranger to fast cars and the fun that goes along with them.
Ken Block’s successful beginnings saw him as an entrepreneur - his brand (DC) is immortalized in the minds of skateboarders everywhere. After conquering the realm of skateboard shoes, Block shifted gears in a way that only a true gearheads does. He immediately dove into the exhilarating rally circuit, taking home multiple awards and wins in his years as a rally and drift driver.
There are many incredible feats that Ken Block accomplished in a life that was cut way too short. Here is the story of Ken Block’s enviable rise to action sport and motorsport superstardom.
Ken Block's Rise To Motorsport Superstardom: From Co-Founding A Shoe Company, To Rally Driving
In the mid 90s, the shoe company DC Shoes came to fruition with 3 co-founders: Ken Block, Damon Way, Clayton Blehm. If the name sounds familiar, you have likely seen the style of these shoes among the skateboarding scene. DC Shoes sponsors multiple athletes in the form of their skateboarding team, snow team, and moto team. Co-founding a company with such roots in action sports, and it only makes sense for Ken Block to be intrigued.
After the founding of DC in 1994, Ken Block sold his share of the company and put his focus to rally racing. Using his experience in business and marketing, he was able to promote himself the way he promoted brands and sponsorships to help get himself noticed in the rally scene.
Ken Block’s Rally Career Highlights
Ken Block was able to start off his first year in the rally racing scene with a bang. With a souped up 2005 Subaru WRX STi, he finished seventh overall and fifth in the Group N class at Sno*Drift.
At the end of his first year rallying, Block won an award for Rally America Rookie of the Year. Ken Block was a five-time X Games medalist for RallyCross, and he also was the first American to drive in the 2010 World Rally Championship. Rally driving is a sport that is well-known among gearheads, but it was Ken Block who helped popularize the sport to those who may not have otherwise heard of rallying.
Ken Block And Gymkhana
Gymkhana is a type of motorsport with a focus on achieving the fastest time possible around a designed track with a focus on memorizing the layout. Gymkhana incorporates a variety of maneuvers like drifting, figure 8s, spins, and a ton of other skills. Fun fact: the original Gymkhana used horses back in the 19th century. But drifting around a track sounds a lot more fun behind the wheel of a Hoonigan-designed car.
Ken Block was able to show off his Gymkhana skills in 2009 for BBC’s Top Gear where he drove James May around a track. Beyond the feature on Top Gear, he was entertaining the public with a series of YouTube videos that were quite popular and drew in millions of views. Ken Block's name is now just as synonymous with Gymkhana as it is with rallying.
The Legacy Of Ken Block In Motorsports
Ken Block helped build up multiple brands - from DC Shoes to his own Hoonigan Industries. Along the way, he was fortunate to be able to also pursue his passion for racing. Block combined his marketing abilities to grow his brand, on top of capitalizing upon his epic racing abilities. Ken Block truly was a multifaceted individual who used his skills to further both his career and motorsport awareness. We can't think of a bigger legacy and mark to leave in the hearts of car and motorsport enthusiasts!
With Block's passion for driving in the Gymkhana videos and his venture into motorsports as a whole, he was able to create an entire life for himself the way he wanted. These days, his children follow in his footsteps as a fitting homage to motorsports - the next generation of rally drivers seems promising with the likes of Lia Block behind the wheel!
Ken Block proved that he didn’t necessarily need to be the best at everything he did, he just had to make an impression on the world. And he absolutely did.
Sources: Hoonigan Racing, NPR