Ken Block, Man Behind Thrilling Vegas Car Video, Has Died
In the mix of incredibly tragic news yesterday, this news may have fallen through the cracks. Ken Block, one of the most celebrated rally car drivers in history, died yesterday.
55 year old Ken Block was riding a snowmobile in Wasatch County, Utah, just east of Provo. According the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office, the vehicle upended when heading down a steep slope and landed directly on top of him.
Ken was a visionary
Ken was a massive figure in the “X Games” style of extreme sports, landing on the podium of countless rally car championships. He also competed in motocross and skateboarding competitions as well. His skateboarding prowess lead him to team up with a friend to found the DC Shoes brand back in 1994. That brand went on to massive success before being purchased by Quiksilver.
If you never knew of Ken’s career, chances are you’ve come across his increasingly thrilling “Gymkhana” videos. We recently wrote about Ken’s amazing series of videos. In the videos, Ken takes on a location (which grew as the years go on to entire cities) and whips his vehicle around the tightest bends, off the edges of cliffs and more. His latest video featured Block behind the wheel of an all-electric Audi and whipping the vehicle around our fair city… from downtown to the Strip to even inside The Palms.
Ford Motor Company, who teamed up with Block for many projects, said in a statement: “We lost a legend today in Ken Block… He was truly one of a kind – an innovator, a talented driver and a marketing genius. Our hearts go out to his family during this time, and we mourn his loss together with the community he fed with his vigor and spirit.”
Ken leaves behind a wife and three kids.
