Ken Block

Kenneth Paul Block (November 21, 1967 – January 2, 2023) was an American professional rally driver, extreme sports racer, and business entrepreneur with the Hoonigan Racing Division, formerly known as the Monster World Rally Team. Block was also one of the co-founders of DC Shoes. He also competed in many action sports events, including skateboarding, snowboarding, and motocross.

After selling his ownership of DC Shoes, Block shifted his business focus to Hoonigan Industries, an apparel brand marketing to auto enthusiasts. He was the co-owner and "Head Hoonigan In Charge" (HHIC) at the company before his death in a snowmobile accident in January 2023.

His daughters, Lia Block, Kira Block, and his son Mika Block are all also racing drivers.

Kenneth Paul Block (known by his initials as "KB") was born and raised in Southern California, later San Diego, on November 21, 1967.

In 2005, Block began his National rallying career with the Vermont SportsCar team. 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. 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. At the end of his first rallying year, Block had won the Rally America Rookie of the Year award.

In 2006, Block, along with his DC rally teammate Travis Pastrana, signed a new sponsorship deal with Subaru. Through this deal with Subaru, the teammates became known as "Subaru Rally Team USA". With the new rally season, Block also got a brand-new Vermont SportsCar prepped 2006 Subaru WRX STi. He competed in the first-ever X Games rally event at X Games XII. In the competition, Block ended up finishing third to take the bronze. He went on to compete in the 2006 Rally America National Championship, where he finished second overall.

In 2007, Block competed in the X Games XIII rally event, where he placed second overall and won a silver medal. In the 2007 Rally America National Championship, Block finished third overall. During this season, Block also entered in a few rounds of the World Rally Championship; Rally Mexico and Rally New Zealand. In Rally New Zealand, Block recorded two top-five stage times in the Group N class. At the end of 2007, Block had achieved 19 podiums and 8 overall victories in rally events.

In 2008, Block was provided with a brand-new rally-prepped 2008 Subaru WRX STi to compete. Block competed 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 in the year. He gained his first Canadian rally win at the event. This was only the second event for the new car. Block and his co-driver were unable to get any championship points at the event due to not having a Canadian competition license.

Block competed in the Rally New York USA competition and finished in first place.

Block competed at the Global RallyCross Championship from 2011 to 2015. He finished runner-up in 2014 and third in 2013 and fifth in 2012, collecting six wins and 15 podiums.

Block returned full-time for the 2018 Americas Rallycross Championship, where he claimed two podiums and ranked fourth in points.

In 2014, Block was third in the Norway round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship and won the Norway round of the European Rallycross Championship.

For the 2016 season, Block decided to compete full-time in the World Rallycross Championship.

At Hockenheimring, Germany, Block finished third in the Super car Final and achieved his second podium in the series.

Block produced a series of gymkhana videos which have drawn millions of views on YouTube.

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 August 24, 2010, Block released the first of a three-part Gymkhana 3 video release featuring his new Ford Fiesta.

On September 14, 2010, Block's third Gymkhana video, featuring a Ford Fiesta, was released on YouTube.

On August 16, 2011, the fourth Gymkhana video, The Hollywood Megamercial was released on YouTube, featuring Block driving around the Universal Studios backlot.

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 STis sponsored by DC Shoes.

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.

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).

In 2007, Block joined the DC Shoes Snowboarding team at New Zealand's Snow Park. Block did massive jumps and assisted in snowboarding tricks while driving his rally car on the mountain alongside the snowboarders. A crash after landing a large jump cracked one of the vertebrae in his spine; he was flown to the hospital. The session made the cover of the December 2007 issue of Snowboarder Magazine and closed out the MTN.LAB 1.5 DVD.

In 2010, Block co-founded Gymkhana Grid, a gymkhana race held annually around the world. He won all-wheel-drive event in 2014, beating Jake Archer in the final duel.

Block appeared in three installments of Codemasters' Dirt racing video games. Block is featured as a driver in 2009's Colin McRae: Dirt 2, along with his Subaru Rally Team USA Impreza. In 2011's Dirt 3 he is seen as a driver and gymkhana teacher, his Monster World Rally Team vehicles are available in the game, including the Ford Fiesta GYM 3, and the Ken Block Ford Focus WRC. His Hoonigan/Monster Ford Fiesta appears extensively in 2012's Dirt: Showdown, and his trademark gymkhana style of driving is featured at the Head-to-Head and Trick Rush race modes as well as the Freestyle section.

Block appears in the 2015 Need for Speed video game as the style icon.

Block's Hoonigan-branded cars have also featured in Microsoft's Forza racing video game series. Their first appearance was in expansion packs for Forza Horizon 3 and Forza Motorsport 7 in 2017. Later they were offered as launch cars for 2018's Forza Horizon 4 and 2021's Forza Horizon 5.

In 2021, Block started a collaboration with drag racing game CSR Racing 2, a mobile game for iOS and Android.

In 2023, a racing styled car with the name "Hoon" and number 43 was added to version 2 of CD Projekt Red's Cyberpunk 2077, as he died before major patch 2.0.

In 2021, Block collaborated with Rotiform and Fuel Off-Road through Wheel Pros to make 4 sets of signature wheels.

His 1965 Ford Mustang (aka Hoonicorn) uses the Rotiform KB-1 in a 5x120 PCD, with a 26 offset in a 18x10.5 tire width. It is a forged 3pc type wheel in gloss white.

His 1986 Ford RS200 uses the same wheels in a 54 offset, with a 18x9.5 tire width in a 4x108 PCD. It is a forged mono2 style wheel in gloss white.

His 2016 Ford Focus RS uses the same wheels in a 42 offset, with a 19x18.5 tire width in a 5x108 PCD. It is a forged mono2 style wheel in gloss white.

His 1977 Ford F-150 (aka Hoonitruck) uses the Fuel Block in a 5x120 PCD, with a -48 offset in a 20x10.5 tire width. It is forged beadlock type wheel in gloss white.