Who was Ken Block, the pro rally driver and YouTube star who owns Hoonigan Industries? What caused his death?

Hoonigan's official Instagram account announced Ken Block's death in a post on Tuesday. The 55-year-old professional rally driver and Hoonigan co-founder died in a terribly sad snowmobile accident on Monday.

"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 a husband", Hoonigan said in the statement.

The legendary car drifter and action sports star was recently at his ranch in Utah. Block also posted photos of the snow-covered state to his social media accounts earlier this week.

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Some of his last Instagram posts suggest that Block was holidaying with his family. "Christmas from the Blocks, from Baldface Lodge!" he shared in a post from last week. "It was an epic holiday trip. Hope you all had a great holiday!", he added in the same post.

Who was Ken Block?

Kenneth Paul Block was a professional rally driver from the United States who raced for the Hoonigan Racing Division, formerly known as the Monster World Rally Team. Block was also a founding member of DC Shoes and hascompeted in a variety of action sports, such as skateboarding, snowboarding, and motocross. Block shifted his business focus after selling his ownership of DC Shoes to Hoonigan Industries, an apparel brand for auto enthusiasts.

After 11 years of collaboration, Hoonigan Racing Division and Ford Performance announced their separation in January 2021. Block announced in April that he would be returning to Subaru and will starta new partnership with Audi in September for "joint projects in the field of electric mobility."

Block, who began rallying in 2005, was named Rookie of the Year in the Rally America Championship. He won several rallycross medals at the X Games and competed in the World Rally Championship.

How Ken Block becamea YouTube star?

Block nearly broke the internet in 2008 when he uploaded the first of 10 Gymkhana videos to YouTube, which featured him stunt driving, drifting, and creatively interacting with his surroundings. His Hoonigan YouTube channel became the most popular in motorsports history after receiving over one billion views.

What caused his death?

The Wasatch County Sheriff's Office confirmed Block's death in a Facebook statement. At around 2:00 pm., the action sports star was riding on a steep slope in the Mill Hollow area outside Woodland, Utah, when his snowmobile "overturned, landing on top of him", according to police.The sheriff's office also confirmed that Block was alone when the accident occurred.

Block was an action sports enthusiast and a family man who raced in the American Rally Association Championship in 2022 with his wife, Lucy, and their 16-year-old daughter, Lia.

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