Rally and gymkhana icon Ken Block dies aged 55

Ghymkana hero and rally driver Ken Block died Monday living life the only way he knew how – to have fun.

Block’s crew in Hoonigan confirmed via Instagram that he died on Jan. 2 with a snowmobile accent. Block was 55 years old and is survived by his wife and three children. TMZ reported that the Wasatch County, Utah Sheriff’s Office said the accident happened around 2 p.m. when the snowmobile overturned and landed on a block. He was reportedly pronounced dead at the scene.

“Ken was a visionary, a pioneer and an icon. And most importantly, a father and husband,” Hoonigan wrote.

Hoonigan confirms Ken Block's death on Instagram

Hoonigan confirms Ken Block’s death on Instagram

As a co-founder of DC Shoes, Block began driving professionally while serving as the marketing director for his company. At the age of 36 he attended Team O’Neil Rally School and fell in love with the sport. Block started racing full-time in 2005.

Block created his first Gymkhana video in 2008 and it went viral immediately. His most recent Gymkhana escapades saw him behind the wheel of the custom-built electric Audi S1 ​​E-Tron Quattro Hoonitron for “Electrikhana”.

The Audi S1 ​​E-Tron Quattro Hoonitron was custom built for Block, who signed on with Audi in 2021 to help develop electric cars for the German automaker. Block said he was a big Audi fan, but the partnership with the four rings was made possible by the end of Block’s exclusive relationship with Ford. Prior to working with Audi, Block returned to rallying with Subaru, the marque with which he began his motorsport career.

Block’s company, Hoonigan, has grown into a small empire. It merged with Wheel Pros in 2021.

While growing up skateboarding, snowboarding, and dirt bikes, Block Motor Authority said in 2016 that he quit racing dirt bikes because he “had this cool racing car career.” He had many injuries riding dirt bikes and he was afraid of hurting himself. He still snowboarded a lot.

Block taught his 14-year-old daughter to drive. She then immediately followed in her father’s footsteps and drove her father’s Hoonicorn into a Hemi-powered Corvette tow car. Ken Block called the car scary with up to 1,400 horsepower.