Ken Block, Father of Modern Gymkhana, Found Dead After Snowmobile Accident

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World-renowned rally driver Ken Block has been reported dead after a snowmobile accident. The 55-year-old American left behind a family of 4, including his wife and three children.

The racer and YouTube star was found and pronounced dead at the scene near his ranch in Utah, USA. While riding on snowy slopes near Woodland, Utah, his snowmobile "upended, landing on top of him", police exclaimed.

Ken Block was known as a lover of motorsport and different action sports, such as skateboarding, snowboarding and motocross.

His claim to fame across many-a-car lovers' memories would be the famous Gymkhana videos on YouTube. In those videos, he would race across different cities in style, drifting and jumping his way across the streets.

A long-standing member and even co-owner of the Hoonigan racing team, his escapades would happen using Subarus, Fords and Audis, mostly tuned by Hoonigan.

Rest in Peace, Ken Block. And our condolences to the whole Block family from the RaceDepartment community.
About author
Julian Strasser
Motorsports and Maker-stuff enthusiast. Part time jack-of-all-trades. Owner of tracc.eu, a sim racing-related service provider and its racing community.

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During 2016 and 2017 I played Need for Speed Most Wanted from EA on PC, One day Ken Sent me and invitation to roam around with him in the vast world of that game. The physics were quite acceptable not a complete sim not a complete arcade either. He stopped playing quite soon , I never quite completed the game either, his passing at new year's shocked me, still today when I take the task to install that game is nice to see that some of the curves and challenges still has my name of that time, some others have Ken's name. I've never been a rally guy myself but I knew whom he was and in fact Ken help to developed tht silly game from EA. He was big enough to be little if you know what I mean, rest in peace bud.
 
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WRC obituary mentions he was into architecture and design, neatly explains how he developed his unique mix of sports and show and style.
 
Really gutted when I found out. Even more sad for his family.
He was in the middle of so many cool projects.
Bizarre how so many great drivers that been dealing so many critical situations in their career, get bad accidents when they (and us) least expected it.
R.I.P. Ken, an eternal icon for me.
 
Maybe he's more of a stuntman than a legit race driver, maybe Gymkhana series wasn't an one-shot project, and maybe he's not the most winning driver at all, the fact he took on something that no one dares to is really impressive - not to mention how many unique cars he and his team has created.

Rest in peace, Mr. Daredevil... the car community will never be the same without you.
 
Maybe he's more of a stuntman than a legit race driver.

I would be willing to bet you would not find one Pikes Peak race driver that would drift to the very edge on purpose. No stunt about it, that was pure race driving talent :coffee: imho

Most winning driver ? There are many great race drivers that have never won a championship or even a race because not all great drivers get the best race car.
Simple as that. ;)

scene-from-ken-blocks-climbkhana-pikes-peak_100623444_l.jpg
 
Again I am sincerely sorry if I offended anyone, it was not my intention, I promise you.
All I did was stick up for Ken, he is much much more then a stuntman.
 
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I'd rather do skyjumping or paragliding or rock climbing than even get anywhere near snowsports or snow....hobbies or anything that has to do with snow and speed in general. Well, except rallying. Extremely dangerous. How many people get injured, crippled or killed every year doing that ****? Too many.
Anyway, may he Rest In Peace. Didn't know him as a person so i won't comment on his personality, but i won't hide the fact that i didn't like what he did. Not one bit.
Posing as a "rally driver" while being just a stuntman is kinda....low. Anybody that gets offended by this can go FHM. Truth hurts. His performance in WRC says it all. Still, he managed to create a "culture" and a large fanbase so i'll give him that.
See you on the other side.
 
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