The former WRC hero will be sorely missed by his family, friends, and colleagues for being a maverick, an inventor, a rally champion, and above all a devoted father.
The terrible death of WRC star and YouTube legend Ken Block was confirmed on Monday, shocking the motorsports community.
How Did Ken Block Dies?
Ken Block, a champion rally driver and action sports athlete, reportedly passed away on Monday at the age of 55 as a result of a horrible snowmobile accident in Utah. It is believed that Block was killed when the snowmobile he was riding tipped over and fell on top of him as he was traveling down a steep hill in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah on Monday at around 2:00 p.m. Despite claims to the contrary, Block was traveling alone when the incident occurred. Sadly, due to the harm he had received in the collision, he was declared dead at the site.
Everyone at Autosport is saddened to hear that WRC, Hoonigan, WRX and X Games legend, Ken Block, has passed away at the age of 55.
We all send our thoughts and condolences to his family and friends at this sad time. pic.twitter.com/jD6rZigmEQ
— Autosport (@autosport) January 3, 2023
In fact, Block had recently returned from Idaho, where he had been captured on camera pulling off acrobatics on a brand-new, more potent snowmobile. In fact, the co-founder of Hoonigan even acknowledged how much the car’s strength had taken him by surprise. “It was my first day on my new ‘23 Ski-Doo Summit X Turbo, and this thing rips! Lots of power up at high elevations, and wheelies all day! Epic early season powder, and an amazing first day. Wheelies, deep power turns, and a lot of learning on this new sled – good times!”
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Hoonigan confirms Ken Block’s death
Although Block’s affiliation with Hoonigan Racing Division began as a driver and team, as the years passed, his relationship with the company changed, and the driver finally joined the management group. It was a connection that would put Block’s name at the forefront of American protests. As one can expect, the news of his passing caused the organization great sadness. Hoonigan released a statement on Monday that was shared on Instagram. “It’s with our deepest regrets that we can confirm that Ken Block passed away in a snowmobile accident today,” Hoonigan said in a statement on posted to Instagram on Monday. “Ken was a visionary, a pioneer, and an icon. And most importantly, a father and husband. He will be incredibly missed.”
Who was Ken Block?
Block, who was born on November 21st, 1967, in California, grew up with racing in his blood. Despite the fact that he would later join Hoonigan Racing Division as a professional rally driver, it was possibly some of his other ventures that garnered even more notoriety. Block, a co-founder of DC Shoes, has participated in many other action sports, such as motocross, snowboarding, and skateboarding.
But it’s likely that Gymkhana was the context in which you first heard Ken Block’s name. The sport, which was modeled by the equestrian competition of the same name, involved a challenging obstacle course that Block would masterfully negotiate in his now-famous Ford Fiesta. The videos were aired in Top Gear, a widely popular BBC show, and received millions of views on YouTube.
The rally star would go on to produce 10 volumes of the program, and to this day, motorsports enthusiasts still regard them as mythical figures. Block’s wife Lucy and their three children are left behind.
Driver and YouTube Star Ken Block dies in a snowmobile accident
A snowmobile tragedy claimed the life of action sports pioneer Ken Block on Monday at the age of 55. Block also co-founded DC Shoes and Hoonigan Racing.
The death was initially reported by Hoonigan on social media. Block was riding a snowmobile close to his home in Utah at 2 p.m. when he attempted to navigate up a steep hill, causing the vehicle to tumble back on top of him, according to the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office. He was pronounced deceased by authorities there.
“Ken was a visionary, a pioneer and an icon. And most importantly, a father and a husband,” Hoonigan wrote in the statement. “He will be incredibly missed.”
In 1994, Block co-founded DC Shoes, a well-known skateboarding and shoe company. Through clever sponsorship deals and athlete endorsements, Block helped the company become a global success.
He became better known as a rally car superstar after selling the business in 2004 for $87 million, winning 16 national championships from 2005 to 2014.
Additionally, he took home five medals from the X Games, and he joined just four other Americans in scoring points in the World Rally Championship. Block competed in motocross and skateboarding, but his social media posts about his automotive aeronautics made him famous.
His YouTube channel, which has over 1.95 million subscribers, attributes its success to the rise in motorsports fandom in the United States. A few hours prior to the disaster, Block had posted on social media about the significant snowfall at his Utah ranch, writing “hell yeah!” over an Instagram picture of snowmobiles.
This is how some mornings at my ranch in Utah look this time of year – freshly coated with snow! Luckily we have the Ski-doo sleds, @CanAm Mavericks (one on tracks!) and Defender, and the Kubota machinery to dig us out and keep the property maintained. pic.twitter.com/LXJG1A6yPr
— Ken Block (@kblock43) December 29, 2022
Tributes to the icon were pouring in across his platforms on Tuesday morning.
“Ken was truly an idol and inspiration for me, getting me into rally. […] I’ve never been hit so hard by someone’s passing,” wrote Facebook user Troy Dawson.
Dave Smith, a YouTube commenter wrote, “I never understood the draw to extreme sports until watching one of his videos. He was the draw.”
The success of Block’s family in rally racing is sure to prolong his fame. Since she was 11 years old, his daughter Lia, now 16, has raced for Hoonigan Racing, and this year, his wife Lucy, made her all-wheel-drive rally debut.
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