► Precision driver Ken Block 1967-2023
► Block killed in snowmobile accident
► Crash happened on steep slope in Utah
Stuntdriving legend Ken Block has died in a snowmobile accident in the US, his family have confirmed. The rally driver turned Hoonigan co-founder was 55 years old.
Police in Wasatch County in Utah said Block was riding up a steep slope in the Mill Hollow district outside Woodland at around 2pm on 2 January 2023 when the snowmobile ‘upended, landing on top of him.’
He was pronounced dead at the scene by first aiders. Block had been spending the New Year holiday at his ranch in Utah and posted photos of his skidoos in the last few days.
A statement released on the Hoonigan website said: ‘It’s with our deepest regrets that we can confirm that Ken Block passed away in a snowmobile accident today. Ken was a visionary, a pioneer and an icon. And most importantly, a father and husband. He will be incredibly missed. Please respect the family’s privacy at this time while they grieve.’
Ken Block: a rally and stuntdriving great
Block co-founded skating fashion brand DC Shoes with business partner Damon Way in 1994 and went on to become a rally driver, where his car control and prowess behind the wheel quickly made an indelible mark.
He founded the Hoonigan brand and pioneered the Gymkhana video series where he specialised in taking drift cars to the limit and beyond with balletic precision, vehicles bending to his every whim at the tug of a handbrake and stab at a pedal.
Watch all the Gymkhana videos in one place
The series was intended as a promotional vehicle for DC Shoes, but quickly became a Youtube sensation in its own right and propelled Block to global stardom. He was a regular attendee at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, often appeared on TV and worked in partnership with a variety of car makers, most notably Ford and latterly Audi.
He most recently released Electrikhana, his first slip-sliding exploits in an electric car. After jumping ship from Ford Performance after 11 years, Block signed a deal with Audi and the resulting one-off S1 Hoonitron was filmed around the Las Vegas strip in late 2022. You can watch the video below.
Away from four wheels, Block was a keen snowboarder and often drove snowmobiles. He is survived by his wife Lucy and three children.
From the archives: CAR hitches a ride with Block back in 2009