Ken Block facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ken Block |
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Block in 2017
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| Born | Kenneth Paul Block November 21, 1967 Long Beach, California, U.S. |
| Died | January 2, 2023 (aged 55) Wasatch County, Utah, U.S. |
| FIA World Rallycross Championship career | |
| Debut season | 2014 |
| Car no. | 43 |
| Former teams | Hoonigan Racing Division |
| Starts | 26 |
| Wins | 27 |
| Podiums | 2 |
| Best finish | 9th in 2017 |
| FIA ERX Supercar Championship | |
| Years active | 2014 |
| Car no. | 43 |
| Former teams | Hoonigan Racing Division |
| Starts | 1 |
| Wins | 1 |
| Podiums | 1 |
| Best finish | 15th in 2014 |
| Global RallyCross Championship | |
| Years active | 2011–2015 |
| Car no. | 43 |
| Former teams |
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| Starts | 39 |
| Wins | 6 |
| Podiums | 12 |
| Best finish | 2nd in 2014 |
| Rally America | |
| Years active | 2005–2010, 2012–2014 |
| Car no. | 43 |
| Co-driver |  Alex Gelsomino |
| Former teams |
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| 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 |
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| 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 professional rally driver. He was known for his amazing driving skills and for co-founding DC Shoes. Ken also loved many action sports like skateboarding, snowboarding, and motocross.
After selling his part of DC Shoes, Ken focused on Hoonigan Industries. This is a clothing brand for car fans. He was the co-owner and "Head Hoonigan In Charge" (HHIC) there. In 2021, Ken Block started new partnerships with Subaru and Audi, especially for electric cars.
Contents
Ken Block's Rally Adventures
Starting in Rallying
In 2005, Ken Block began his professional rally career. He drove a Subaru WRX STi car. In his very first event, he finished seventh. By the end of 2005, Ken was named the Rally America Rookie of the Year!
Teaming Up with Subaru
In 2006, Ken and his teammate Travis Pastrana joined forces with Subaru. They became known as "Subaru Rally Team USA." Ken got a new Subaru car and competed in the first-ever X Games rally event. He won a bronze medal there. He also finished second overall in the 2006 Rally America National Championship.
More Rally Success
In 2007, Ken won a silver medal at the X Games XIII rally. He also competed in some World Rally Championship races. By the end of 2007, Ken had earned 19 podiums (top three finishes) and 8 overall wins in rally events.
In 2008, Ken got a new Subaru rally car. He won his first Canadian rally race, which helped him prepare for bigger competitions. He also won the Rally New York USA event. At X Games XIV, he tied for third place and earned another bronze medal. He finished second overall in the 2008 Rally America National Championship.
Joining Ford and Breaking Records
In 2010, Ken Block started working with Ford. He joined the Monster World Rally Team and became the first American driver to compete in the World Rally Championship. He scored points by finishing ninth in a race in Spain. He also broke a record by winning the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood for the fifth time in a row!
In 2011, Ken had a small accident during a race in Portugal but was fine. He continued to score points in other races. In 2013, he achieved his best World Rally Championship finish, coming in seventh place in Mexico. In 2014, he competed in Spain but had a tire problem, finishing twelfth.
Rallycross Competitions
X Games Highlights
Ken Block was a regular at the X Games, a big event for action sports. He won several medals in rally and rallycross:
- 2006: Bronze medal (3rd place)
- 2007: Silver medal (2nd place)
- 2008: Bronze medal (3rd place)
- 2012: Silver medal (2nd place)
- 2013: Silver medal (2nd place in Munich)
American and European Rallycross
Ken also competed in the Global RallyCross Championship from 2011 to 2015. He finished second overall in 2014 and third in 2013. He won six races and was on the podium 15 times! In 2014, he won a race in Norway for the European Rallycross Championship. In 2016, he raced full-time in the World Rallycross Championship and earned another podium finish in Germany.
Gymkhana Videos
Ken Block was famous for his amazing "Gymkhana" videos. These videos show him driving cars with incredible precision, doing stunts, and drifting through tricky courses. Millions of people watched these videos on YouTube.
He even appeared on the TV show Top Gear where he showed off his driving skills. In 2010, his third Gymkhana video was watched over seven million times in its first week! His videos often featured different Ford cars, like the Ford Fiesta, Ford Mustang, and Ford Focus.
Main Gymkhana Video Series
- Ken Block Gymkhana Practice (2008; Subaru Impreza)
- Ken Block Gymkhana Two the Infomercial (2009; Subaru Impreza)
- Ken Block's Gymkhana Three, Part 2; Ultimate Playground; l'Autodrome, France (2010; Ford Fiesta)
- Ken Block's Gymkhana Four; The Hollywood Megamercial (2011; Ford Fiesta)
- Ken Block's Gymkhana Five: Ultimate Urban Playground; San Francisco (2012; Ford Fiesta)
- Ken Block's Gymkhana Six – Ultimate Gymkhana Grid Course (2013; Ford Fiesta)
- Ken Block's Gymkhana Seven: Wild in the Streets of Los Angeles (2014; Ford Mustang)
- Ken Block's Gymkhana Eight: Ultimate Exotic Playground in Dubai (2016; Ford Fiesta)
- Ken Block's Gymkhana Nine: Raw Industrial Playground (2016; Ford Focus)
- Ken Block's Gymkhana Ten: The Ultimate Tire Slaying Tour (2018; Ford Fiesta, Escort RS Cosworth, Focus, Mustang and F-150)
Other Cool Videos
- Ken Block Drifts London (2016; Ford Mustang)
- Ken Block's Climbkhana: Pikes Peak Featuring the Hoonicorn V2 (2017; Ford Mustang)
- Ken Block's Climbkhana Two: 914hp Hoonitruck on China's Most Dangerous Road; Tianmen Mountain (2019; Ford F-150)
- Ken Block's Electrikhana: High Stakes Playground; Las Vegas, in the Audi S1 Hoonitron (2022; Audi S1 Hoonitron)
Other Fun Activities
Ken Block was involved in many other exciting activities:
- In 2005, he joined the Gumball 3000 rally with three special Subaru cars.
- In 2006, he jumped his Subaru rally car an amazing 171 feet (about 52 meters) for a TV show!
- In 2007, he drove his rally car on a snowy mountain alongside snowboarders. He even cracked a bone in his spine after a big jump, but he was okay.
- In 2010, he helped create Gymkhana Grid, a worldwide gymkhana race. He won the all-wheel-drive event in 2014.
- In 2021, he raced in the Baja 1000, a tough off-road race, and finished fourth.
- Ken also held a world record for the fastest snowcat, which is a modified Ford Raptor called the RaptorTrax.
Video Games and Wheels
Appearing in Video Games
Ken Block was a character in several popular racing video games:
- He appeared in three Dirt games, where players could drive his cars.
- He was featured as a "style icon" in the 2015 Need for Speed game.
- His special Hoonigan cars were also in Microsoft's Forza racing games, like Forza Horizon 3 and Forza Horizon 4.
- In 2021, he worked with the drag racing game CSR Racing 2.
Signature Wheels
In 2021, Ken Block designed his own special wheels with companies called Rotiform and Fuel Off-Road. These wheels were used on some of his most famous cars, like his 1965 Ford Mustang "Hoonicorn" and his 1977 Ford F-150 "Hoonitruck."
Other TV Appearances
Ken Block also appeared on the MotorTrend show Ignition to promote the 2017 Ford Raptor. He also famously drifted his "Hoonicorn" Mustang around the streets of London for BBC One's Top Gear.
Ken Block's Passing
On January 2, 2023, Ken Block sadly passed away at 55 years old. He was in a snowmobile accident near his ranch in Woodland, Utah. The local police said his snowmobile went over on a steep hill and landed on him. He was declared dead at the scene. As a way to honor him, the number 43 (his racing number) was retired from the World Rally Championship for the 2023 season. His team, Hoonigan, shared a message saying, "Ken was a visionary, a pioneer and an icon. And most importantly, a father and husband. He will be incredibly missed."
See also
In Spanish: Ken Block para niños
