Ken Block
| Ken Block | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Block in 2008. | |
| Nationality |  American |
| Born | 21 November 1967 Long Beach, California |
| Rally America career | |
| Debut season | 2004 |
| Current team | Hoonigan Racing Division |
| Co-driver | Alex Gelsomino  |
| Best finish | 2nd Overall in Rally America in 2006, 2008, and 2013 |
| Awards | |
| 2004[1] 2005[1] 2009 | • One of the most influential people (#17) in Sports Business Journal • Ad Age's Marketing 50 • One of the Fast 50 in Fast Company Magazine • 40 Under 40 Awards, Sports Business Journal • Rally America's Rookie of the Year • Gymkhana 2 was 2009's #4 most viewed viral video |
Ken Block (born November 21, 1967)[2] is a professional rally driver with the Hoonigan Racing Division, formerly known as the Monster World Rally Team. Block is also one of the co-founders and recently appointed Chief Brand Officer of DC Shoes.[1] Block has also competed in many action sports events including skateboarding, snowboarding, and motocross [citation needed].
Rallying
2005
In 2005, Block began his National rallying career with the Vermont SportsCar team.[3] Vermont SportsCar prepared a 2005 Subaru WRX STi for Block to compete. His first event of the rallying season was Sno*Drift, where he ended up finishing seventh overall and fifth in the Group N class.[4] 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.[3] At the end of his first rallying year, Ken Block had won the Rally America Rookie of the Year award.[5]
2006
In 2006, Block along with his DC rally teammate Travis Pastrana signed a new sponsorship deal with Subaru.[3] Through this deal with Subaru, the teammates became known as "Subaru Rally Team USA."[3] With the new rally season, Block also got a brand new Vermont SportsCar prepped 2006 Subaru WRX STi.[3] He competed in the first ever X Games rally event at X Games XII.[3] In the competition, Block ended up finishing third to take the bronze.[3] He went on to compete in the 2006 Rally America National Championship, where he finished second overall.[3]
2007
In 2007, Block competed in the X Games XIII rally event, where he placed second overall and won a silver medal.[5] In the 2007 Rally America National Championship, Block finished third overall.[5] During this season, Block also entered in a few rounds of the World Rally Championship; Rally Mexico and Rally New Zealand.[4] In Rally New Zealand, Block recorded two top-five stage times in the Group N class.[4] At the end of 2007, Block had achieved 19 podiums and 8 overall victories in rally events.[1]
2008
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 the Canadian Rally Championship to gain some experience with his new 2008 rally car and prepare for the World Rally Championships later this year.[6] Block gained his first Canadian rally win at the event.[6] This was only the second event for the new car.[6] Block and his co-driver were unable to get any championship points at the event due to not having a Canadian competition license.[6] Block competed in the Rally New York USA competition and finished in first place.[7] In the X Games XIV rally competition, Block finished tied for third place with Dave Mirra.[8] This occurrence was due to both competitors having issues with their car. Block, who made it to the semi-finals of the event, had a radiator 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.[8]
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 stage, Block finished over one minute ahead of his next closest competitor and secured the second overall position.[9] Next up for Block this rally season is three World Rally Championship events.[4]
2009
Block appeared in a segment of motoring show Top Gear.[10] Block filmed the hit YouTube video "Gymkhana 2", making the most viral video of 2009, as well as selling more DC shoes with this "informercial" [citation needed].
2010
On January 6, 2010 the Monster World Rally Team announced Block as their driver for selected rounds of the World Rally Championship, in which he will be campaigning the Monster/Ford Racing Focus RS WRC 08. His car will be prepared and run by the North of England based M-Sport, who also prepare the official Ford WRC cars. He will be simultaneously running in his sixth season of the Rally America Championship in an open class Ford Fiesta, as well as his fifth X-games. Block will also be the first ever American driver to campaign for the World Rally Championship. On February 27, Block won the Rally in the 100 Acre Wood (Rally America) for the 5th consecutive time. This broke the record held by John Buffum.[11] Block is currently being trained by former Ford factory driver Markko Märtin. At the Spain rally, he won his first 2 points in World Rally Championship.
2011
On March 23, Block and his co-driver Alex Gelsomino were taken to hospital, having rolled their Ford Fiesta RS WRC during the shakedown stage of the 2011 Rally de Portugal in Faro, Portugal.[12] A representative of the Monster World Rally team later stated that both men were fine.[13]
2013
On his first race of 2013 season Block got a great result entering in the top-ten of the Mexican rally, thus he gets his first six points for the championship and score a best-ever 7th overall finish.[14][15]
Block's Rally America results
(key)
| Year | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | DC | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Subaru Impreza WRX STi | SNO 5 |
ORE 7 |
SUS 3 |
PIK 4 |
MAI 3 |
OJI Ret |
COL 4 |
LSP 3 |
4th | 65 | |
| 2006 | Subaru Impreza WRX STi | SNO 3 |
ACR 1 |
ORE 3 |
SUS Ret |
MAI 11 |
OJI Ret |
COL Ret |
LSP 1 |
WIL 3 |
2nd | 90 |
| 2007 | Subaru Impreza WRX STi | SNO 6 |
ACR 1 |
ORE 2 |
OLY 4 |
SUS Ret |
NEW 3 |
OJI 2 |
COL 1 |
LSP Ret |
3rd | 109 |
| 2008 | Subaru Impreza WRX STi | SNO 5 |
ACR 1 |
OLY 1 |
ORE Ret |
SUS Ret |
NEW Ret |
OJI Ret |
COL 5 |
LSP 1 |
2nd | 86 |
| 2009 | Subaru Impreza WRX STi | SNO Ret |
ACR 1 |
OLY Ret |
ORE Ret |
SUS 1 |
NEW 2 |
OJI Ret |
COL Ret |
LSP 3 |
4th | 80 |
| 2010 | Ford Fiesta | SNO Ret |
ACR 1 |
OLY Ret |
ORE Ret |
SUS Ret |
NEW Ret |
12th | 27 | |||
| 2012 | Ford Fiesta ST | SNO |
ACR 1 |
ORE |
SUS |
NEW |
OLY 1 |
4th | 44 | |||
| 2013 | Ford Fiesta ST | SNO 6 |
ACR Ret |
ORE 2 |
SUS 1 |
NEW 1 |
OJI 1 |
LSP Ret |
2nd | 93 | ||
| 2014 | Ford Fiesta ST | SNO |
ACR 1 |
ORE |
SUS |
MTW |
NEW |
OJI |
LSP |
2nd* | 22* |
*Season in progress
Complete WRC results
| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Ken Block | Subaru Impreza WRX STI | MON |
SWE |
NOR |
MEX 28 |
POR |
ARG |
ITA |
GRE |
FIN |
GER |
NC | 0 | ||||||
| Rally FaNZ | NZL 56 |
ESP |
FRA |
JPN |
IRE |
GBR | ||||||||||||||
| 2008 | Subaru Rally Team USA | Subaru Impreza WRX STI | MON |
SWE |
MEX |
ARG |
JOR |
ITA |
GRE |
TUR |
FIN |
GER |
NZL 30 |
ESP |
FRA |
JPN |
GBR |
NC | 0 | |
| 2010 | Monster World Rally Team | Ford Focus RS WRC 08 | SWE | MEX 18 |
JOR | TUR 24 |
NZL | POR Ret |
BUL | FIN | GER Ret |
JPN | FRA 12 |
ESP 9 |
GBR 21 |
19th | 2 | |||
| 2011 | Monster World Rally Team | Ford Fiesta RS WRC | SWE 14 |
MEX 12 |
POR DNS |
JOR | ITA | ARG 18 |
GRE | FIN | GER 17 |
AUS 19 |
FRA 8 |
ESP Ret |
GBR 9 |
22nd | 6 | |||
| 2012 | Monster World Rally Team | Ford Fiesta RS WRC | MON | SWE | MEX 9 |
POR | ARG | GRE | NZL 9 |
FIN Ret |
GER | GBR | FRA | ITA | ESP | 28th | 4 | |||
| 2013 | Hoonigan Racing Division | Ford Fiesta RS WRC | MON | SWE | MEX 7 |
POR | ARG | GRE | ITA | FIN | GER | AUS | FRA | ESP | GBR | 20th | 6 |
* Season in progress.
PWRC results
| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Pos. | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Subaru Rally Team USA | Subaru Impreza WRX STI | SWE | ARG | GRE | TUR | FIN | NZL 13 |
JPN | GBR | NC | 0 |
Other motorsport activities
In 2005, Block along with his DC Shoes associates participated in the Gumball 3000 Rally. For the event they sent out three modified 2004 Subaru WRX STi's sponsored by DC Shoes.[16][17]
In 2006, Block competed in the One Lap of America competition along with Brian Scotto. They were teamed up in a 2006 Subaru WRX STi and finished forty-fifth overall.[18]
In 2006, for the Discovery Channel show Stunt Junkies, Block jumped his Subaru WRX STi rally car 171 feet (52 m) and a max height of 25 feet (7.6 m).[3] The whole episode was dedicated to Block attempting this stunt.
In 2007, Block joined the DC Shoes Snowboarding team at New Zealand's Snow Park.[3] Block did massive jumps and assisted in snowboarding tricks while driving his rally car on the mountain alongside the snowboarders. The session made the cover of the December 2007 issue of Snowboarder Magazine and closed out the MTN.LAB 1.5 DVD.[3]
In 2009, for the BBC show Top Gear, Block took James May out for Gymkhana-style driving at Block's stunt course at Inyokern Airport, an operational California airport, also starring Ricky Carmichael. In 2010 Block took the feature car from the previous episode (a Reliant Robin) for a lap of the Top Gear test track. He rolled the car and was unable to complete a lap but was unhurt.
On October 15, 2009, it was reported that Block was close to a deal to join the World Rally Championship in a new Ford team. Long time co-driver Alex Gelsomino is also reportedly involved in the deal. Former Subaru WRC driver Chris Atkinson has been reported to be lined up as Block's team-mate in the all-new Monster Energy Drink Ford World Rally Team.[19]
On January 6, 2010, the announcement is made as Block joins up with Ford and begins his WRC career driving both a Ford Fiesta and Focus RS WRC.
On August 24, 2010, Block released the first of a three part Gymkhana 3 video release featuring his new Ford Fiesta.[20]
On September 14, 2010, Block's third Gymkhana video, featuring a Ford Fiesta, was released on YouTube.[21] 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 the Universal Studios backlot.[22]
On July 1, 2012, Block took the Silver Medal for Rallycross at X Games XVIII behind Sébastien Loeb.
On July 9, 2012, Block released his fifth Gymkhana video on YouTube, featuring Block driving his Ford Fiesta in San Francisco. After 24 hours, the video was viewed 5.1 million times, making it the top-viewed video of the previous week.[23]
Block also holds the world record for the world's fastest snow cat, a modified Subaru STI called a Trax STI. [citation needed]
Involvement in Colin McRae: Dirt 2 and Dirt 3
Block is featured as a driver in Codemasters Colin McRae: Dirt 2, along with his Subaru Rally Team USA Impreza. In Dirt 3 he is seen as a driver and Gymkhana teacher, his Monster World Rally Team vehicles are available in the game.
References
- ^ a b c d "Official Site: Bio". http://www.kenblockracing.com/. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
{{cite web}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ "Catching Up With DC's Ken Block". Jeff Emig. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Ken Block". http://auto.dcshoes.com/team/ken-block/. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
{{cite web}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ a b c d "Interview: Ken Block - Part 2". Carolyn Schonafinger. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
- ^ a b c "2008 Subaru Rally Team USA". http://rally.subaru.com. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
{{cite web}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ a b c d "Ken Block Flies To His First Canadian Rally Win". http://www.snowboard-mag.com. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
{{cite web}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ "Rally New York USA:USRC Results". http://rallynewyork.com. Archived from the original on 2008-06-06. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
{{cite web}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ a b "Travis Pastrana wins gold medal at 2008 X Games 14 Rally, Tanner Foust silver, as Dave Mirra and Ken Block share bronze". http://rallybuzz.stagetimes.com. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
{{cite web}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ "Subaru Driver Ken Block Wins Rally Finale at LSPR, SRT USA Finishes 1-2 in Rally America Championship". http://www.specialstage.com. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
{{cite web}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ Top Gear, Season 13, Episode 3.
- ^ "Rally America". Rally America. Retrieved 2010-11-12.
- ^ "Ken Block has Massive Wreck on Shakedown Stage". Rally World News. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
- ^ "WRC: Ogier rocks, Block rolls on Portugal shakedown". crash.net. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
- ^ http://www.wrc.com/results/
- ^ http://www.wrc.com/results/2013/rally-guanajuato-mexico/stage-times/
- ^ "Teams 31 - 60". http://www.GTspirit.com. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
- ^ "Rob Dyrdek back on the rally". http://gumball3000.com. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
{{cite web}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ "2006 Tire Rack One Lap of America: Final Overall Results". http://www.onelapofamerica.com. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
{{cite web}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ "autosport.com". autosport.com. Retrieved 2010-11-12.
- ^ "Gymkhana 3". DC Shoes. Retrieved 2010-11-12.
- ^ "Ken Block: Gymkhana Three". AUSmotive.com. 2010-09-15. Retrieved 2010-11-12.
- ^ Sanchez, Karla. "Gymkhana Four – Ken Block Hoons in Hollywood". Motor Trend. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
- ^ Hardigree, Matt. "Gymkhana 5 Viewed 5.1 Million Times in 24 Hours". Jalopnik. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
- ^ Davies, Steve. "The Accidental Hero – An interview with Ken Block". SkiddMark. Fitch Media. Retrieved 9 December 2011.
External links
