Exploring the High-Octane Legacy of the Late Rally Racer
Ken Block: A True Maverick
Late legend Ken Block truly lived by his inspiring motto: GO FAST RISK EVERY THANG.
Before the dynamo’s tragic death at age 55 in a snowmobile accident in Utah on Jan. 2, Block made an indelible mark on athletic fashion, motorsports, car culture and entertainment. Though the world lost a tremendous talent far too soon, his lasting legacy will be felt for years to come.
Skateboarding buffs first knew of Ken Block through California-based DC Shoes, the company he co-founded in 1994. Regarded as a leader in skateboard kicks, DC Shoes eventually branched out and became a renowned action sports brand, which still operates today.
Next, Block roared onto the rally car scene in 2005. That season he notched five top five finishes and placed third overall in the Group A class and fourth overall in the Rally America National Championship. It came as no surprise whe he subsequently earned Rally America’s Rookie of the Year award.
But that was just the beginning for Block.
The following year, Ken competed in the first-ever X Games rally event and took home the bronze at X Games XII — an impressive start for his ten-year stretch in the high-profile contest, which saw him earn a total of five medals.
Block also charged into American and European rallycross racing, racking up numerous wins and podium appearances. He next became a social media phenomenon with his jaw-dropping Gymkhana videos, which have drawn more than 600 million views on YouTube.
In basic terms, Gymkhana reigns as the epitome of precision driving — putting the pedal to the metal and navigating a challenging obstacle course at top speed. Though Block made it look easy, you’ll find nothing simple about his phenomenal feats behind the wheel.
His online video debut in the aughts was born from a perfect storm. The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift showed mass audiences how cool tire-shredding could be, and an army of thrill seekers armed with GoPro cameras craved real-life action. Video-sharing platforms were about to explode, and after years of the same old, same old, car culture finally arrived primed for the nonstop adrenaline jolts delivered by Block’s stylized clips.
Block’s particular vehicular mayhem rocketed to success imbued with snowboarding and skateboarding’s energy, the go-for-broke attitude of MTV’s Jackass and an exhilarating sense of fun. Yet at their core, the videos also showed a master at work. Block’s skills as a driver — coupled with his talent as an entertainer — made him the ultimate sports showman. In 2009 for the BBC show Top Gear, Block even took James May out for a Gymkhana-style spin in California — furthering his international audience reach.
Ken Block redefined how cars would be portrayed in new media, and in the process, he displayed a whole lot of personality — and no shortage of business savvy. An ordinary man’s tank might have been running on empty by that point. But as already demonstrated, Block could be anything but ordinary.
In 2010, Block formed Hoonigan Racing Division, a team that competes in the American Rally Association. After selling his stake in DC Shoes, he shifted his off-track business focus to Hoonigan Industries, an apparel brand for auto enthusiasts. He also branched out into video games, appearing in three installments of Codemasters’ Dirt series, and Hoonigan-branded cars were featured in Microsoft’s Forza series.
In 2021, Block — ever the innovator — collaborated with Rotiform and Fuel Off-Road through Wheel Pros to make four types of signature tires he used on his souped-up rides. And the Hoonigan Racing Division continued pushing the engineering envelope in 2022 by partnering with BBi Autosport to create the “Hoonipigasus,” a 1400hp Porsche SVRSR.
Fellow rally racer Tanner Foust says, “I think it’s hard to quantify the impact Ken had on the automotive world. He was a maverick and a pioneer in a lot of ways. Besides the driving and the speed that he had in rally racing, and rallycross, he — off-track — was a business maverick. He started DC Shoes in his garage. He started many companies from nothing and built them into multi-million-dollar companies.”
Foust says Block helped transform the way drivers partnered with sponsors by demonstrating how content creation offered another avenue to connect with audiences. He explains, “Ken really paved the way for drivers, in my opinion, to market themselves differently in motorsport. He showed racers that we have a different way to market ourselves, and it wasn’t always about results on the track.”
Foust also praises Block for how he used “his sheer grit and energy and marketing genius and driving ability” to create a brand that eclipsed some of the biggest automotive names in the world.
Shortly after Block’s death, the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) announced in 2023 it was retiring his number 43 from the World Rally Championship (WRC).
“Given the enormous contribution our great friend Ken Block made to motorsport and the fact that he was held in such high regard by people the world over, it is entirely appropriate that his #43 will be withdrawn from use during the 2023 WRC season,” FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem shared in a statement.
“While it’s a small gesture, we hope that it is one that will bring some comfort to his family and friends. Ken was a true legend, and the memory of this true legend will live with us forever.”
Wow. Did you ever read one of these little blurbs and think, “I wish I would have known all of this while this person was still alive?” … Some people truly inspire that entrepreneurial spirit, do they not? (Although probably none of us at 55 should be trying things that would have been simple at 35 — a lesson learned rarely fatally, thank goodness.) At this point, follow us and learn more about Hoonigan Racing, Hoonigan Industries — and see videos of Ken Block in action.
