Rally driver and DC shoe co-founder Ken Block is a household name. His high-octane Gymkhana movies, in which he drives his modified rally vehicles through a series of daring stunts, have made him a household name.
Block has built a devoted fanbase thanks to his spectacular driving style and general enthusiasm for cars during his extensive racing career, which has taken him to rallycross and drifting among other events.
He is not only an accomplished racer but also a prosperous businessman with a vast collection of unusual and rare vehicles. Everything that Block does is infused with his love of automobiles and racing, and he never stops challenging the status quo in motorsports.
Ken Block Biography
Ken Block, whose given name is Kenneth Paul Block, was born in California on November 21, 1967, and is a professional rally driver in the United States. When he started performing daring actions while driving, he went viral on the internet. After leaving the Monster World Rally Team, Ken Block joined Hoonigan Racing.
After selling his share in DC Shoes to its other co-founders, he moved his business attention to Hoonigan Industries, an apparel brand for auto enthusiasts. It was co-owned by Ken Block, who also held the title of “Head Hoonigan In Charge” (HHIC). In addition to his many motocrosses, skateboarding, and snowboarding competitions, he also competed in a few BMX events.
On Monday, January 2, 2022, at the age of 55, Ken Block was killed in a snowmobile accident. Wasatch County, Utah, is the location of the incident. According to the Mill Hollow Sheriff’s Office, Ken Block was riding his snowmobile when it flipped over a cliff. At the scene of the collision, medical personnel pronounced him dead.
What is Ken Block’s Net Worth?
| Net Worth: | $100 Million |
| Date of Birth: | Nov 21, 1967 – Jan 2, 2023 (55 years old) |
| Place of Birth: | Long Beach |
| Gender: | Male |
| Height: | 6 ft (1.83 m) |
| Profession: | Rally Driver, Entrepreneur |
| Nationality: | United States of America |
Professional rally driver and entrepreneur Ken Block is an American success story, with a reported $100 million in assets. DC Shoes, which he helped found, is where Ken Block made his wealth. In addition to his other duties, he was the Chief Brand Officer of the corporation.
Quicksilver paid $87 million to acquire DC Shoes in March 2004. Since selling his stake in DC Shoes, he has focused his attention on Hoonigan Industries, a clothing line aimed at vehicle fans. Block’s endorsement partnerships and sponsorships have helped supplement the money he earns from racing and his shoe company.
His Gymkhana videos have made him millions of dollars because they have gone viral on YouTube and other social media. It is not surprising that Ken Block has been able to amass such a large fortune because of his talent as a driver and his enthusiasm for vehicles.
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Successful Career
Quicksilver paid $87 million to acquire DC Shoes in March 2004. Since selling his stake in DC Shoes, he has focused his attention on Hoonigan Industries, a clothing line aimed at vehicle fans.
Vermont SportsCar team was where Ken Block’s career in rallying got its start in 2005. He then entered the 2006 Rally America National Championship, where he placed second overall. Block finished 2007 with 19 rally podium finishes and 8 rally event wins.
2008 saw him place second in the Rally America National Championship, and on February 27, 2010, Block became the first driver to win Rally in the 100 Acre Wood (Rally America) five times in a row, surpassing John Buffum’s record.
Founding DC Shoes
Even when he was a kid, Block knew he wanted to make a career out of building things. He was really interested in the creative side of the building. When he reached adulthood, he followed this path and started working as a draftsman. According to Block, it takes around 30 years to make a name for oneself in the architectural profession.
The naturally ambitious businessman concluded that spending his days cooped up in a draft room was not life for him. For this reason, he uprooted his life and headed to Colorado to pursue snowboarding full-time. Block first rode a snowboard when he was seven years old. When his family relocated to North San Diego, he also found BMX dirt biking, which quickly became a passion of his.
To satisfy his inner competitor, Block spent his adolescence tearing up the dirt on his motorcycle. So, he moved to Colorado to devote himself to snowboarding and began rubbing elbows with the pros in the sport. The speed-obsessed man finally realized that he was not cut out for the world of professional snowboarding.
Going from Fashion to Start a Racing Rally Career
Way put up $10,000, and Block had to borrow from his folks because he didn’t have that kind of cash on hand. Hot Cars claims that the elite players who had become Block’s friends helped the business expand and bring in significant sponsorships. With Danny’s assistance in advertising via skateboarding stunts, DC Shoes reached $7 million in sales by 1995.
They had reached $100 million in sales by 2003 but were in deep debt. If the year hadn’t gone well, he said, the company would have gone under. Since the worst was not yet here, they took advantage of the situation now. DC Shoes were sold to Quicksilver by the partners in 2004 for a total of $87 million.
Block kept on as an employee but now serves as the company’s Chief Brand Officer instead of President. He found himself with unexpected free time and searching for direction. When he learned that DC Shoes-sponsored racer Travis Pastrana was switching from Motocross World to Rally, he knew that fate had interfered once again.
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Block, now determined to follow in Pastrana’s footsteps as a rally driver, contacted Pastrana’s agent, Steven Stephen. Block was taken to rally school by a group that Stephen put him in touch with. The businessman joined Team O’Neil after taking a four-day training and seeing that he had a natural talent in that area.
From Rally Racing to Gymkhana Fame
In 2005, Ken Block entered his first professional rally race. He became well-known for his exceptional driving ability and soon found himself entering more rally races, finally gaining a seat on the Hoonigan Racing Division team.
In addition to his achievements in rally racing, Block has also competed in and won championships in rallycross, drifting, and mountain racing. His thrilling and aggressive approach to racing has garnered him a number of trophies and accolades.
Block is not just a successful race car driver, but also a successful businessman, having co-founded the successful shoe company DC Shoes. His Gymkhana movies, in which he drives custom-built rally vehicles, have also gone viral, with millions of views on YouTube and other sites.
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Ken Block Passed Away at Age 55
We regret to report that Ken Block has passed away. In a snowmobile accident on Monday, the 55-year-old professional rally racer and Hoonigan co-founder died. In addition to his work with DC Shoes and his achievements as a rally driver and creator of the iconic Gymkhana film series.
R.I.P @kblock43 #KenBlock 😭 thanks for everything pic.twitter.com/E4xzOAdEXm
— Tim Coronel (@TimCoronel) January 3, 2023
Block was also a well-known and beloved personality in the car world. During this time of loss, our hearts and prayers go out to his loved ones.
