Drift King Ken Block dies in Snowmobile accident

Legendary Drift King Ken Block has been killed in a snowmobile accident at his ranch in Utah. He was just 55 years old.

Anyone with an ounce of petrol in their veins is aware of the immense driving skills rally supremo Ken Block possessed, so the news that he died in a snowmobile accident at his ranch in Utah will come as a shock.

Block was on holiday at his ranch in Utah and was busy clearing the heavy snow on his property when his snowmobile upended on a steep slope. A statement from the Wasatch Sherrif’s Office said:

On January 2, 2023 at approximately 2:00 p.m., the Wasatch County 911 Center received a call reporting a snowmobile accident in the Mill Hollow area. Search and Rescue, along with law enforcement from Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office, Utah State Parks and the U.S. Forest Service responded. The driver, Kenneth Block, 55-year-old male out of Park City, Utah, was riding a snowmobile on a steep slope when the snowmobile upended, landing on top of him. He was pronounced deceased at the scene from injuries sustained in the accident.

Block co-founded DC Shoes in 1994, founded the Hoonigan brand and delighted petrolhead audiences with his Gymkhana series of drift videos – and appearances on Top Gear (see below) – becoming a YouTube sensation in the process with his remarkable control of Ford, and subsequently Audi, cars.

A statement on the Hoonigan website says:

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.

Ken Block 1967-2023. RIP.

Ken Block Top Gear Video with James May