Ken Block

     Ken Block was a man like no other. Founder of DC Shoes and Hoonigan industries. He was an inspiration to many. Myself included

    Growing up with the internet budding I would look around at the stuff that interested me which for the most part was stuff like video games, sports, and cars and I remember seeing this video that said “DC SHOES: KEN BLOCK GYMKHANA PRACTICE” I didn’t know what any of those words meant but I saw a car going off a jump in the thumbnail and just knew I had to watch. What I saw would change my life. Ken Block was going around an airfield in a 2006 Subaru WRX STI and I had never seen anything like this I still remember how it felt to watch him launch at the start and drift around this airfield it was a rush that made me feel like I was in the car with him. 

    Then with Hoonigan Industries and their youtube channel, it opened up a whole new world of cars to me. Being a kid who didn’t come from a family of car enthusiasts I loved watching their videos about the inner workings of cars. The deep dives they would do and the builds like the Hoonicorn, the Hoonitruck, the Hoonipigasus, and my personal favorite Ken’s 1978 Ford Escort Mk2 RS.

    As I grew up it was awesome to watch Hoonigan and Ken Block sort of grow up with me. I watched this company grow and felt like I was a part of it I would look up the updates and watch the trackers of ARA rallies that Ken was taking part in and I grew to love motorsport even more as I learned more about it. 

    I can confidently say that I wouldn’t be where I was without stumbling on that first Gymkhana video which introduced me to a whole new life I knew nothing about. 

    Ken Block was an icon, a legend, an amazing driver, and an inspiration to millions of car enthusiasts around the world and he will be deeply, deeply missed. 

    "Go fast risk every thang"- Ken Block

Ken Block (1967-2023)