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Ken Block (1967–2023), rally driver and gymkhana YouTube star 

by Linnea Crowther

Ken Block was a rally driver and co-founder of DC Shoes known for his gymkhana YouTube videos. 

Action sports 

Block co-founded DC Shoes in 1994; the brand quickly became known for its skateboarding and snowboarding gear. He began his career as a rally driver in 2005, first with the Vermont SportsCar Team and later founding the Monster World Rally Team. Block founded the apparel brand Hoonigan Industries and renamed his team the Hoonigan Racing Division. Block competed in the X Games for years, as well as at several Rallycross Championship events. He was widely known for his gymkhana videos on YouTube, showcasing his drifting skills while driving obstacle courses set up in locations including the streets of San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Detroit. Block appeared on episodes of “Top Gear” and “Stunt Junkies” and was featured in video games including the “Dirt” series and “Need for Speed.” 

Notable quote 

“At the end of the day, I race cars because I genuinely love to do it. And we turn that into entertainment, and entertaining people that are fans of all this sort of content, so that can range from a simple Instagram post to a 20-minute video on YouTube.” —from a 2020 interview for Racer 

Tributes to Ken Block 

Full obituary:The New York Times 

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