Thanks to the brilliant viral marketing of DC, Ken Block’s name has become synonymous with one thing in particular: Gymkhana. Gymkhana (Jim-Kah-Nuh) is a relatively new motorsport in which drivers must navigate through a series of obstacles while performing skilled driving maneuvres such as 360’s and figure 8 drifts. With the help of some sponsors, Ken put out a series of impressive viral videos which gave Gymkhana (and his sponsors) a massive boost in popularity – and for good reason!
If this doesn't get your blood moving, check your pulse.
To hardcore rally fans, Ken Block is a legend. In 2005, Block’s first year of professional rallying, Ken was honoured as the Rookie of the Year. Not bad for someone who stepped into a rally car for their first time in 2004.
The next year, the X Games added Rally Racing to their roster of sports. With help from his newest sponsor, Subaru, which happened to land him a beastly WRX STI built by Vermont SportsCar, Ken took home the Bronze medal in his first ever X Games run. The following year, he took home the Silver.
That same year, Ken had his World Rally Championship debut, which today is the highlight event of his career. As of 2010, Block has become a WRC regular with some help of his newest sponsor, Ford. When Subaru dropped out of the WRC (for reasons I still cannot comprehend), Ford made possibly the smartest move of their lifespan, and offered him a rally-tuned Ford Fiesta with their sponsorship.
I'm not usually a Ford fan, but this thing is badass!
I think a large part of Ken Block's popularity can be attributed for his love of absolutely crazy stunts. When I say crazy, I really do mean some crazy s***. Aside from Gymkhana, which is crazy enough as it is, Ken jumped his old Subaru 171 feet for Discovery Channel's Stunt Junkies. It must be nice to have multimillion-dollar sponsors.
When I say crazy...
Today, Ken can be found touring the globe with his Ford Fiesta, kicking up dirt and hooning around corners all over the world. According to Ken’s facebook page, he will be making a “BIG” announcement this Sunday. Considering he is over at the F1 series, speculation and rumours are flying back and forth across the digital landscape. I guess we’ll just have to wait until Sunday.
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