| Ken Block | |
|---|---|
 Block in 2016 | |
| Born | Kenneth Paul Block (1967-11-21)November 21, 1967[1] |
| Died | January 2, 2023(2023-01-02) (aged 55) Wasatch County, Utah, U.S. |
| Relatives | |
| FIA World Rallycross Championship career | |
| Debut season | 2014 |
| Car number | 43 |
| Former teams | Hoonigan Racing Division |
| Starts | 26 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 2 |
| Best finish | 9th in2017 |
| FIA ERX Supercar Championship | |
| Years active | 2014 |
| Car number | 43 |
| Former teams | Hoonigan Racing Division |
| Starts | 1 |
| Wins | 1 |
| Podiums | 1 |
| Best finish | 15th in2014 |
| Global RallyCross Championship | |
| Years active | 2011–2015 |
| Car number | 43 |
| Former teams | |
| Starts | 39 |
| Wins | 6 |
| Podiums | 12 |
| Best finish | 2nd in2014 |
| Rally America | |
| Years active | 2005–2010,2012–2014 |
| Car number | 43 |
| Co-driver |  Alex Gelsomino |
| Former teams | |
| Starts | 60 |
| Wins | 16 |
| Podiums | 28 |
| Best finish | 2nd Overall in 2006, 2008, and 2013. |
| World Rally Championship record | |
| Active years | 2007–2008,2010–2014,2018 |
| Co-driver | Alex Gelsomino |
| Teams | |
| Rallies | 24 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Rally wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Stage wins | 0 |
| Total points | 18 |
| First rally | 2007 Rally México |
| Last rally | 2018 Rally Catalunya |
Kenneth Paul Block (November 21, 1967 – January 2, 2023) was an American professionalrally driver with theHoonigan Racing Division, formerly known as the Monster World Rally Team. Block was also one of the co-founders ofDC Shoes.[3] He also competed in many action sports events, includingskateboarding,snowboarding, andmotocross.
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.[4][5]
His daughtersLia Block and Kira Block and his son Mika Block are also racing drivers.
In 2005, Block began his Nationalrallying career with theVermont SportsCar team.[6] Vermont SportsCar prepared a 2005Subaru WRX STi for Block to compete. His first event of the rallying season wasSno*Drift, where he ended up finishing seventh overall and fifth in theGroup N class.[7] 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.[6] At the end of his first rallying year, Ken Block had won theRally America Rookie of the Year award.[8]
In 2006, Block, along with his DC rally teammateTravis Pastrana, signed a newsponsorship deal withSubaru.[6] Through this deal with Subaru, the teammates became known as "Subaru Rally Team USA".[6] With the new rally season, Block also got a brand-newVermont SportsCar prepped 2006 Subaru WRX STi.[6] He competed in the first-everX Games rally event atX Games XII.[6] In the competition, Block ended up finishing third to take the bronze.[6] He went on to compete in the 2006 Rally America National Championship, where he finished second overall.[6]
In 2007, Block competed in theX Games XIII rally event, where he placed second overall and won a silver medal.[8] In the 2007 Rally America National Championship, Block finished third overall.[8] During this season, Block also entered in a few rounds of theWorld Rally Championship;Rally Mexico andRally New Zealand.[7] In Rally New Zealand, Block recorded two top-five stage times in the Group N class.[7] At the end of 2007, Block had achieved 19podiums and 8 overall victories in rally events.[9]
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 theCanadian Rally Championship to gain some experience with his new 2008 rally car and prepare for theWorld Rally Championships later in the year.[10] Block gained his first Canadian rally win at the event.[10] This was only the second event for the new car.[10] Block and hisco-driver were unable to get any championship points at the event due to not having a Canadian competition license.[10]Block competed in the Rally New York USA competition and finished in first place.[11]In the X Games XIV rally competition, Block finished tied for third place withDave Mirra.[12] This occurrence was due to both competitors having issues with their car. Block, who made it to the semi-finals of the event, had aradiator 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.[12]
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.[13] Next up for Block this rally season is three World Rally Championship events.[7]
Block appeared in a segment of motoring showTop Gear.[14]Block filmed the hit YouTube video "Gymkhana 2".[15]
For 2010, Block ended his partnership with Subaru, and joined Ford to compete part-time at theWorld Rally Championship forMonster World Rally Team, where he drove aFord Focus RS WRC 08 together with long time co-driverAlex Gelsomino.[16] Block therefore became the first ever American driver to campaign for the World Rally Championship. He scored two points after finishing 9th inSpain. Also, he ran his sixth season of theRally America Championship in an open classFord Fiesta, as well as his fifth X Games. On February 27, Block won the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood (Rally America) for the 5th consecutive time. This broke the record held byJohn Buffum.[17]
On March 23, Block and his co-driverAlex Gelsomino were taken to hospital, having rolled theirFord Fiesta RS WRC during the shakedown stage of the2011 Rally de Portugal inFaro, Portugal[18] A representative of the Monster World Rally team later stated that both men were fine.[19] He finished 8th at theFrance and 9th atWales, scoring 6 points.
On his first race of 2013 season, Block scored well, entering top-ten in theMexican rally, thus receiving his first six points for the championship and scored a best-ever 7th overall finish.[20][21]
Castrol returned as Block's sponsor. He participated in the WRC located in Catalunya, Spain. He was in 10th place until the last stage where he suffered a tire puncture and lost a significant amount of time. He finished in 12th, which was his second to last season at the WRC.[22][23]
Block's X Games results are as follows:[24]
Bronze
Silver Bronze Silver SilverBlock competed at theGlobal RallyCross Championship from 2011 to 2015. He finished runner-up in 2014[25] and third in 2013[26] and fifth in 2012, collecting six wins and 15 podiums.[27]
Block returned full-time for the2018 Americas Rallycross Championship, where he claimed two podiums and ranked fourth in points.[28]
In 2014, Block was third in the Norway round of theFIA World Rallycross Championship and won the Norway round of theEuropean Rallycross Championship.[29][30]
For the 2016 season, Block decided to compete full-time in theWorld Rallycross Championship.[31]
AtHockenheimring, Germany, Block finished third in the Super car Final and achieved his second podium in the series.[32]
In 2017, Block finished 9th in points, with a best finish of 7th at Britain and France.[33]
Block produced a series ofgymkhana videos which have drawn millions of views on YouTube.[34]
In 2009, for theBBC showTop Gear, Block tookJames May out forGymkhana-style driving at Block's stunt course atInyokern Airport, an operational California airport, also starringRicky Carmichael. In 2010, Block took the feature car from the previous episode (aReliant Robin) for a lap of theTop Gear test track. He rolled the car and was unable to complete a lap but was unhurt.[35]
On August 24, 2010, Block released the first of a three part Gymkhana 3 video release featuring his new Ford Fiesta.[36]
On September 14, 2010, Block's third Gymkhana video, featuring a Ford Fiesta, was released on YouTube.[37] The video got more than seven million views in its first week.
On August 16, 2011, the fourth Gymkhana video,The Hollywood Megamercial was released on YouTube, featuring Block driving around theUniversal Studios backlot.[38]
On July 9, 2012, Block released his fifth Gymkhana video on YouTube, featuring Block driving his Ford Fiesta in San Francisco andTravis 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.[39]
In 2024, Hoonigan released a video compilation containing all of Block's Gymkhana videos and Gymkhana spinoff videos, apart from the two he did with Top Gear and the BBC.[40]
Main video series
Other videos
In 2005, Block, along with his DC Shoes associates, participated in theGumball 3000 Rally. For the event, they sent out three modified 2004 Subaru WRX STis sponsored byDC Shoes.[63][64]
In 2006, Block competed in theOne Lap of America competition along with Brian Scotto. They were teamed up in a 2006 Subaru WRX STi and finished forty-fifth overall.[65]
In 2006, for theDiscovery Channel showStunt Junkies, Block jumped his Subaru WRX STi rally car 171 feet (52 m) and a max height of 25 feet (7.6 m).[6]
In 2007, Block joined the DC Shoes Snowboarding team at New Zealand'sSnow Park.[6] 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 ofSnowboarder Magazine and closed out theMTN.LAB 1.5 DVD.[6]
In 2010, Block co-foundedGymkhana Grid, a gymkhana race held annually around the world.[66] He won all-wheel-drive event in 2014, beating Jake Archer in the final duel.[67][68]
In 2019, Block travelled to Ireland to Compete in theDonegal International Rally. He drove an Escort Cosworth for the event. He crashed out on SS2.
In 2021, Block raced in theBaja 1000 in thetrophy truck class finishing in 4th.[69]
Block also holds the world record for the world's fastestsnowcat, a modifiedFord Raptor called the RaptorTrax.[70]
Block appeared in three installments ofCodemasters'Dirt racing video games. Block is featured as a driver in 2009'sColin McRae: Dirt 2, along with his Subaru Rally Team USA Impreza. In 2011'sDirt 3 he is seen as a driver andgymkhana 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'sDirt: Showdown, and his trademark gymkhana style of driving is featured at theHead-to-Head andTrick Rush race modes as well as theFreestyle section.[71]
Block appears inthe 2015Need for Speed video game as the style icon.[72]
Block's Hoonigan-branded cars have also featured inMicrosoft'sForza racing video game series. Their first appearance was in expansion packs forForza Horizon 3 andForza Motorsport 7 in 2017.[73] Later they were offered as launch cars for 2018'sForza Horizon 4 and 2021'sForza Horizon 5.[74][75]
In 2021, Block started a collaboration with drag racing gameCSR Racing 2, a mobile game for iOS and Android.[76]
In 2023, a racing styled car with the name "Hoon" and number 43 was added to version 2 of CD Projekt Red'sCyberpunk 2077, as he died before major patch 2.0.[77]
In November 2023,CSR Racing 2 released an update which added a #KB43VER event featuring a playable 1965 Ford Mustang GT Hoonicorn V1 vehicle.[78]
On November 20, 2025,Real Racing 3 released update v13.7, which added Ken Block's Audi S1 E-Tron Quattro Hoonitron to the game, and it can be used in two series. The car comes in the official gray and red "Hoonitron" livery, as driven by Ken Block.[79]
In 2021, Ken Block collaborated with Rotiform and Fuel Off-Road through Wheel Pros to make 4 sets of signature wheels.
His 1978 Ford Escort Mk2 RS uses the Rotiform GTB in a 4x108 PCD, with a 13 offset in a 17x9 tire width. It is a forged Monoblock style wheel in gloss white.[80][81]
Block made a minor appearance on theMotorTrend showIgnition with Jonny Lieberman.[82] The purpose of his appearance was to promote the 2017 Ford Raptor. Block also appeared four times on the BBC motoring showTop Gear, being interviewed by presenterJames May in 2009,[83] before making a brief appearance in 2010 crashing aReliant Robin, returning in 2016 where he drifted his Hoonicorn around the empty streets ofLondon withMatt LeBlanc,[83] and portraying a police officer chasing LeBlanc,Chris Harris andRory Reid in 2018.[84] He also appeared in a Daily Driven Exotics vlog as Damon Fryer was invited to race againstLia Block in "Hoonicorn vs the World", a YouTube series on the Hoonigan YouTube Channel.
Block was married to wife Lucy Block.[85] His oldest daughterLia began competing in theAmerican Rally Association in 2022, winning the O2WD Driver's Championship the following year at age 16, before the end of season series, enabling her to enter the final race with her father's legendaryFord Escort RS Cosworth. Earlier in 2023, she would enter theExtreme E series for Carl Cox Motorsport.[86] She became a member of theWilliams Driver Academy in November 2023 and was announced to compete inF1 Academy for the2024 season withART Grand Prix.[87]
On January 2, 2023, Block died at age 55 in asnowmobile accident near his ranch inWoodland, Utah. TheWasatch 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.[88][89] As a mark of respect, the number 43 was retired from theWorld Rally Championship for the 2023 season in his honor.[90] Hoonigan confirmed Block's death.[91]
(key)
| Year | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Subaru Impreza WRX STi | SNO 5 | OTR 7 | STPR 3 | PIK 4 | MAI 3 | OFR Ret | COL 4 | LSPR 3 | 4th | 65 | |
| 2006 | Subaru Impreza WRX STi | SNO 3 | 100AW 1 | OTR 3 | STPR Ret | MAI 11 | OFR Ret | COL Ret | LSPR 1 | WIL 3 | 2nd | 90 |
| 2007 | Subaru Impreza WRX STi | SNO 6 | 100AW 1 | OTR 2 | OLY 4 | STPR Ret | NEFR 3 | OFR 2 | COL 1 | LSPR Ret | 3rd | 109 |
| 2008 | Subaru Impreza WRX STi | SNO 5 | 100AW 1 | OLY 1 | OTR Ret | STPR Ret | NEFR Ret | OFR Ret | COL 5 | LSPR 1 | 2nd | 86 |
| 2009 | Subaru Impreza WRX STi | SNO Ret | 100AW 1 | OLY Ret | OTR Ret | STPR 1 | NEFR 2 | OFR Ret | COL Ret | LSPR 3 | 4th | 80 |
| 2010 | Ford Fiesta | SNO Ret | 100AW 1 | OLY Ret | OTR Ret | STPR Ret | NEFR Ret | 13th | 27 | |||
| 2012 | Ford Fiesta ST | SNO | 100AW 1 | OTR | STPR | NEFR | OLY 1 | 4th | 44 | |||
| 2013 | Ford Fiesta ST | SNO 6 | 100AW Ret | OTR 2 | STPR 1 | NEFR 1 | OFR 1 | LSPR Ret | 2nd | 93 | ||
| 2014 | Ford Fiesta ST | SNO | 100AW 1 | OTR | STPR | MTW | NEFR | OFR | LSPR | 12th | 22 | |
| 2015 | Ford Fiesta ST | SNO | 100AW | OTR | OLY | STP | NEFR 2 | OFR | LSPR | 14th | 17 | |
| Source:[92] | ||||||||||||
(key)
| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | PWRC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Subaru Rally Team USA | Subaru Impreza WRX STI | SWE | ARG | GRE | TUR | FIN | NZL 13 | JPN | GBR | NC | 0 |
| Source:[94] | ||||||||||||
(key)
| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Monster World Rally Team | Ford Fiesta | IRW1 | IRW2 | SEA1 | SEA2 | PIK1 | PIK2 | LA1 11 | LA2 13 | 23rd | 10 | ||||
| 2012 | Monster World Rally TeamFord Racing | Ford Fiesta | CHA 15 | TEX 8 | LA 2 | LOU 5 | LV 7 | LVC 10 | 5th | 58 | ||||||
| 2013 | Hoonigan Racing Division | Ford Fiesta ST | BRA 9 | MUN1 2 | MUN2 DSQ | LOU 5 | BRI 2 | IRW 6 | ATL 8 | CHA 7 | LV 1 | 3rd | 115 | |||
| 2014 | Hoonigan Racing Division | Ford Fiesta ST | BAR 10 | AUS 11 | DC 7 | NY 3 | CHA 1 | DAY 2 | LA1 3 | LA2 2 | SEA 9 | LV 1 | 2nd | 376 | ||
| 2015 | Hoonigan Racing Division | Ford Fiesta ST | FTA 1 | DAY1 8 | DAY2 2 | MCAS 1 | DET1 1 | DET2 7 | DC 3 | LA1 11 | LA2 9 | BAR1 11 | BAR1 10 | LV 10 | 7th | 345 |
| Source:[95][96][97][98][99] | ||||||||||||||||
(key)
| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Rank | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Hoonigan Racing Division | Ford Focus | SIL | AUS1 2 | TRO 3 | AUS2 6 | 4th | 68 | |
| Source:[28] | |||||||||
(key)
| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Hoonigan Racing Division | Ford Fiesta ST | GBR | NOR 1 | BEL | GER | ITA | 15th | 16 |
| Source:[30] | |||||||||
(key)
| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Hoonigan Racing Division | Ford Fiesta ST | POR | GBR | NOR 3 | FIN | SWE | BEL | CAN | FRA 4 | GER | ITA | TUR DNP | ARG | 16th | 32 |
| 2016 | Hoonigan Racing Division | Ford Focus RS | POR 18 | HOC 3 | BEL 19 | GBR 14 | NOR 14 | SWE 13 | CAN 10 | FRA 6 | BAR 16 | LAT 16 | GER 12 | ARG 15 | 14th | 63 |
| 2017 | Hoonigan Racing Division | Ford Focus RS | BAR 9 | POR 11 | HOC 11 | BEL 8 | GBR 7 | NOR 8 | SWE 9 | CAN 9 | FRA 7† | LAT 14 | GER 14 | RSA 8 | 9th | 112 |
| Source:[33] | ||||||||||||||||
† Five championship points deducted for receiving three reprimands in a season.
| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Hoonigan Racing Division | Ford Fiesta ERX | SWE 1 | LAT | 2nd | 24 |
| Source:[100][101] | ||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
