16 October 2009 - 12:00
Ken you handle it?
You might only be aware of Ken Block from driving James May around or from his interweb phenomena Gymkhana videos, but he's now lining up a proper World Rally Championship drive from next season.
According to a piece in this week's Autosport, Block's management have brokered a deal which will see him, and former Subaru WRC driver Chris Atkinson, in Monster Energy Drink-sponsored 2009-spec Ford Focus WRCs for half of the events next year, followed by a full season in 2011.
Not only will this be a great thing for Block, but it's also likely that the WRC series will use Ken's superstar status to break into North America, which it has been after for years.
It's intriguing to wonder how Block, a California native, got into such a European sport in the first place. But at the X-Games earlier this year, he told us how he's not some flash in the pan fanboy:
"I've been a rally fan since I was a little kid. Ever since I could get my hands on my parents' keys, I was sliding cars around on the dirt, jumping it - I was even arrested for jumping my car when I was 17.
"The first year I raced, I got rookie of the year and fourth in the championship. Racing rally is a gnarly sport - it takes years and years of practice and development, and you don't get better unless you really work hard at it. I've put in a lot of effort to be the best driver that I can be."
If you're still not convinced Block's up to the job of driving top-flight rally races, then watch this:
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Well, he has got a very good car, so he has a chanse to do well. But he wont be at the front of the pack, that i am pretty certain of.
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He is only an amateur rally driver, not a professional like Loeb and the rest of the current drivers. If he opens up the US to rallying, that can only be a good thing. Lets face it, there are some pretty good places in the US for a rally.
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It should be noted that, in the U.S. Rally America series, studded tires are NOT allowed, so all the work you see being done on the snow in that video up there is with snow tires alone. I've attended the Sno-Drift rally--the first event in the Rally America series based in northern Lower Michigan in the dead of winter--since 2001 and the popularity of the sport has REALLY jumped in the past few years thanks to the likes of Pastrana and Ken Block. Both drivers are very approachable (I chatted both of them up for quite a while back in 07 before they got crazy popular) and they're some of the most down-to-earth racers I've met. Don't doubt their skill just because they're "American"; Pastrana has already driven a few WRC events and I'm sure Block will do just as well. Compared to many other Rally America drivers, these two are just in a completely different league.
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I don't think he's going to do too well. Methinks that Loeb and company will show him what's what.
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He should do pretty well, after all he has got quiate a few world records for what he does
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Note: The best times on Peak's Peak are not American nor are they American companies (Suzuki).
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At the Colin McRae stages this year (and last) he was beaten by ameteurs from the local area. Gymkhana he is a god. Rallying he aint so hot...
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Brings me back to the day when the STI was a good looking car.
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yeah that video just shows us that he can drive quickly on a rally stage, not that he can drive quickly in comparrisson anything. its like watching an f1 quali lap. how do you know its good till youve seen the others?
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Bringing the WRC to america would be great, but I'm convinced Block isn't as fast as Loeb and others... It should be good to watch anyway.
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this is amazing news i was talkign about this the other day i reckon he will challenge a lot and i really do hope now he is in that travis pastrana joins up cos he is an absolute hero and a great rally driver who loves the sport so fingers cross this will liven up the wrc!!!
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tell jeremy a Cool Ken has been found lol
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Two words: Rally Alabama I think once they see "ur-a-peans" their heads will explode.
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ken block can do this. sometimes he can seem worthless over what her really is but, anybody can go down. you can't just win everything. ups and downs. well, I cannot change what some thinks, it's all right, everyone has it's opinion. ken block can be up to the challenge, he's been up to some challenges. well, all that to say that he got some skillz. he know what he's doing.
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it'd be fun to have him in wrc.
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The man himself said in an interview he isn't a patch on the WRC drivers. He should know, after having competed against some of them in some promotional event somewhere around Dresden. On the other hand, he might save the WRC because he is popular, and will attract spectators.
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The only major rally I saw him in he crashed out rather tamely. I think that he will have improved a lot since then though, the gymkhana stuff might look like a marketing sideshow but there's no doubt his car control is phenomenal and that should hopefully translate to the rally stages.
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after watching the WRC yesterday i was acking my self "could Block really keep up with Loeb and the Finns? well i cnt wait to see him in the WRC. its gonna be good
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Mikeado commented on this article
16 October 2009
"Gymkhana Hero" - I would buy that game! I hope he does well, but I bet he's a bit dissapointed, or in Californian, "totally bummed" that Subaru aren't in WRC anymore though.
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