The world of motorsport has honored American Ken Block, the professional rally driver whose daring stunts made him an internet sensation after he died aged 55 in a snowmobile accident. Block’s Hoonigan Racing team confirmed his death in a statement on Instagram on Monday. “Ken was a visionary, a pioneer and an icon. And most importantly, a father and husband. He will be missed incredibly,” it said. The accident happened in Utah’s Wasatch County, and the sheriff’s office said Block was riding down a steep slope when the snowmobile flipped over on him.
Ken Block: Career
After beginning his rally career in 2005, Block was named Rookie of the Year in the Rally America Championship. He has competed in the World Rally Championship and won several rallycross medals at the X Games. Co-founded the American sportswear company DC Shoes and produced the Gymkhana video series, which featured him driving on dangerous tracks and obstacle courses.
The series garnered millions of views on YouTube. He also featured in the BBC program Top Gear, which involves a sequence of drifts and tire burnouts around London with actor Matt LeBlanc.
Top 5 Gymkhana Videos:
Gymkhana, is a rally-inspired motor vehicle sport consisting of performance cars that are driven on an open field or parking lot. Drivers skillfully maneuver their cars around a series of obstacles such as cones, slaloms, 180-degree turns, 360-degree turns, and more.
Gymkhana One
Ken Block became an instant YouTube star with his famous Gymkhana series and hence, the first video is special. Started 14 years ago, KenblockRacing made its first upload with the title “Ken Block Gymkhana Practice”. It was not the usual spectacular show, but nothing like it had ever been seen by auto enthusiasts. It immediately got 20 million views.
gymkhana five
Gymkhana became the most famous automotive driver of all time and a known name for Ken Block. He continued to push the quality and stunt level of his videos since Gymkhana One, which was more of a practice run. In addition, it was the first time a Gymkhana video was shot on the actual streets of San Francisco, California, which no one had done before. Travis Pastrana, another famous stunt rider, made a guest appearance in the series.
gymkhana ten
It was the last and final installment in the series and Gymkhana Ten will always be remembered for its sheer scale. Block was seen driving five mean machines at five locations, including a 1965 Ford Mustang Honeycorn V2, a 2018 Ford Fiesta WRC, a 1991 Ford Escort RS Cosworth “The Cosy”, a 2017 Ford Focus RS RX, and finally a 1977 Hoonitruck aka Ford F-150 included. ,
with inputs from agencies