Complete shock. That is all I remember feeling when I got a text message from a friend about Ken Block’s untimely death. It went from one of the best dinner parties to the worst in a mere second. An overwhelming feeling of intense sadness was all I could muster. My idol, my hero, my inspiration, had passed away. While this was specifically my own experience, it became very apparent that I was not alone feeling this way. Social media had blown up in a way that I had never seen before. Every single account I follow was pouring out tributes to the the Head Hoonigan In Charge (HHIC). While most of these tribute die down after a few days, the Ken tributes kept coming. Numerous story and anecdote about his life kept coming. It was the only solace I found the few days afterwards and seemed to keep his spirit alive. Fast forward a year and some change and its 4/3. The unofficial celebration day of the OG number 43. I wasn’t ready last year to share my thoughts about Ken’s passing, but now I am. This 4/3 I wanted to celebrate the man that gave the car community so much and share what he meant to us and how is legacy is forever cemented in car history.

Ken was born in 1967 in sunny Southern California. Growing up as a young boy his life was surrounded by action sports whether that be surfing, skating, snowboarding, or all of the above. At age 27, he co-founded DC Shoes with Damon Way starting his professional journey into the business side of action sports. Working diligently, he eventually sold DC Shoes to Quicksilver for almost $100 million dollars, not a bad return. Having conquered the business world, one of his childhood dreams was to race rally cars. Living his life to the max, he did just that. Starting with the Rally America Championship and eventually climbing the ranks to the X Games and World Rally Championship, Ken quickly showed that he deserved a spot in rally and wasn’t just writing checks to be there. But if that wasn’t enough, what Ken is most known for came from started in 2008 when a relatively unknown at the time YouTube clip was posted. Titled “DC SHOES: KEN BLOCK GYMKHANA PRACTICE”, its was mostly Ken messing around with his Subaru Impreza. Little did he know, this video would become the basis for the monumental success for the brand Hoonigan and skyrocket him to internet glory. Over the next 15 years and even after his passing, Ken and the Hoonigan team put together over 14 “gymkhana” videos racking up over 500 million views. My personal favorites being Gymkhana 5 and Gymkhana 7, specifically the part where he does donuts at Randy’s donuts. If you have no idea what I am talking about, please go to YouTube and watch ALL of them now. 

Ken was more than an internet sensation or business mogul. My first exposure to Ken was DC Mountain Lab video in 2005. I lived and breathed that video as many kids did during that time. Without social media, its was much easier to become attached to a video like that as there weren’t a ton of options like there are now. You took what you got and rolled with it. I remember being drawn to him and his was extremely jealous of his Subaru STI featured in some of the bonus footage. Take someone I already looking up to and then add in cars, I was smitten. It’s hard to put into words how he effected my life but I can tell you it was a lot. He had a large part in shaping my love for action sports and car culture. However, I am not the only person Ken inspired. He helped the average person realize that not was it only okay, but it was cool to be a “car person”. I remember walking into a Zumiez in 2014 and buying my first Hoonigan t-shirt. I felt so damn cool being able to show everyone I walked past that I was in the “Brotherhood of Knucklebusters” as the shirt said. I still have that shirt today and it gives me a sense of pride to wear, even more so now than when I bought it knowing the history. He brought car culture to the forefront and showed the world that being a car enthusiast meant so much more than just liking cars. Ken brought thousands of people together to play his video games, watch his YouTube videos, and even attend his rally events. One of my fondest memories of Ken was seeing him at the 2018 ARA Rally in Portland Oregon in his Mk2 Escort. I was among rally royalty. Just getting to see him in person was an awesome memory. There is no single person that has had the same effect on the car enthusiast and arguable there never will again. Given his legendary status and the pure joy he gave us all, I invite anyone to try to top Ken.

Since his death a lot has changed. Gymkhana videos don’t quite feel the same. Hoonigan has gone soft and the OG team has jumped ship because of it. Many of the things Ken built are gone or changed. However, I don’t see that as a bad thing. For one, change is a part of life and something that Ken embraced. Constantly looking forward and pushing for the next big thing is what built him. The time has come for new adventures for his old team and family and they are all cruising it, especially his daughter Lia Block who just secured a seat in F1 Academy. Secondly, I like to think of his legacy not as ruined by these things, but as preserved in time because of the changes. He gave us so much to enjoy and its now locked forever in the time and that is unchangeable. His time happened and we can all embrace that we were a part of it.  We can look back at his career as the beginning of modern car culture and the building block for the next generation. The future doesn’t have Ken’s in it, but that doesn’t mean it won’t always have his legacy as a foundation. 

It still doesn’t seem real, even after all of this time. It just goes to show how much impact Ken had on all of us. He will always be remember as he was on January 2nd, 2023. Ken died at his peak. Many don’t get to be celebrated that way. Today is 4/3. There are hundred of people celebrating his life just outside of Park City, UT. All of them coming together to show the world what he meant to them in their own way. Hundred of sponsors have donated tons of goods with all of the proceeds going to his charity the 43 Institute. Ken’s legacy will forever live on, with thousands being donated to kids all across the US to help give them the means to be the next Ken Block. Even after his death, he is managing to give back to people that looked up to him. As someone that has been given so much by him, more than he would ever know, I feel like I need to give back to him. If you feel the same, I urge you to live your life the same way he did. Don’t slow down and never give up. Always push yourself and stay grounded in your successes. GO FAST RISK EVERY THANG. Ken’s legacy is best summed up with one of his own quotes, “Be creative, live a fun life, and don’t be an asshole”. I can happily say, he did just that. #KB43ver

If you can, please donate to his cause and help the next generation of “Ken Blocks” shred the future. Donate here: https://www.43i.org/