Ken Block is a professional rally driver and co-founder of DC Shoes who became famous for viral driving videos

Ken Block built his name in two separate worlds: as a business entrepreneur in skateboarding and action sports, and later as a professional driver in rally racing and stunt driving. Most people know him from YouTube videos where he performs extreme driving stunts in modified cars, often in unexpected places like city streets, parking lots, and industrial areas. His videos have been watched hundreds of millions of times because they combine precise car control with cinematic camera work and music.

Block co-founded DC Shoes in 1994 with Damon Way, which grew into a major action sports brand before being sold to Quiksilver. That business success gave him the resources to pursue his passion for driving at a professional level. He has competed in the FIA World Rallycross Championship and other racing series, but his online presence through "Gymkhana" videos — where he performs choreographed driving sequences to music — is what made him a household name outside racing circles.

Key Takeaways

  • Ken Block is a professional rally driver and DC Shoes co-founder known for viral videos of extreme driving stunts performed in modified cars.
  • His "Gymkhana" video series shows choreographed driving sequences set to music, filmed in cities and industrial locations around the world.
  • Block has competed professionally in rally racing and rallycross championships, not just performed stunts for entertainment.
  • His influence on car culture includes popularizing the Hoonigan brand and making precision driving techniques visible to mainstream audiences.
  • Block's driving videos are entertainment and marketing content, not instruction for how to drive safely or legally on public roads.

How Ken Block's Gymkhana videos changed online car culture

The Gymkhana series started in 2010 with a video of Block driving a modified Ford Fiesta in a parking lot in San Francisco. The concept was straightforward but new: film a driver performing precise, choreographed maneuvers synchronized to music, using camera angles and editing that made the driving look like a dance. Each video featured a different city and a different car, and they spread rapidly across social media because they were visually striking and did not require knowledge of racing to enjoy.

These videos introduced mainstream audiences to driving techniques like drifting, donuts, and precision steering that had existed in racing and stunt driving for decades but were rarely seen outside those communities. Block's videos made those techniques feel accessible and fun rather than purely technical. The series also established a template for car content online — the combination of skilled driving, music, cinematography, and a specific location became a format that other drivers and content creators have copied.

The Gymkhana series ran for ten installments over more than a decade, with each video becoming more elaborate in terms of location, car modifications, and production value. The final video, Gymkhana 10, was filmed in Japan and released in 2020.

Ken Block's professional racing career separate from YouTube fame

While the Gymkhana videos made Block famous online, he has also competed as a professional driver in sanctioned racing events. He competed in the FIA World Rallycross Championship, which is an international racing series where drivers compete in modified cars on mixed-surface tracks. He also raced in the Global Rallycross Championship in the United States and competed in other rally and racing events.

Block's professional racing results have been solid but not championship-winning. His value to racing teams and sponsors has come partly from his celebrity status and ability to draw viewers, in addition to his actual driving skill. This dual role — famous entertainer and professional competitor — is unusual in motorsports, where drivers typically build their reputation through racing results first and may gain celebrity status afterward.

The distinction matters because it means Block's YouTube videos and his racing career serve different purposes. The videos are entertainment and marketing content created for a global online audience. His racing career is competition within established racing series with rules, judges, and rankings. Both require real driving skill, but they are different activities with different goals.

The Hoonigan brand and Ken Block's business expansion

In 2011, Block co-founded Hoonigan, a media and entertainment company focused on car culture content. Hoonigan produces videos, podcasts, and other content about cars, driving, and motorsports, and it has become a major presence in online car culture. The brand also sells merchandise and has partnerships with car manufacturers and other companies.

Hoonigan is distinct from Ken Block as an individual, though Block is closely associated with it. The company produces content from many creators and drivers, not just Block himself. However, Block's Gymkhana videos and his celebrity are central to Hoonigan's identity and reach. The company has grown large enough to sponsor other drivers and racing teams, making it a business entity in its own right rather than just a personal brand.

Why Ken Block's driving videos are entertainment, not driving instruction

A common misunderstanding about Gymkhana videos is that they show techniques people should try. They do not. The videos show stunts performed by a professional driver in controlled environments — usually closed locations like parking lots, industrial areas, or private tracks — using heavily modified cars with specialized equipment. The driving shown is illegal on public roads and dangerous without professional training and equipment.

Block himself has been clear about this distinction. The videos are choreographed entertainment, similar to stunt driving in movies. They require years of training, specialized cars, and closed environments. Attempting these maneuvers on public roads is illegal, dangerous, and puts other people at risk. The appeal of the videos comes from watching a skilled driver do something difficult and visually interesting, not from the idea that viewers should replicate it.

This distinction is important because car culture online sometimes blurs the line between entertainment and behavior. Watching Gymkhana videos is fine; trying to recreate them on public streets is not. Block's skill and the production quality of the videos can make the stunts look more casual than they actually are, which is part of what makes them effective as entertainment.

Ken Block's influence on how people think about cars and driving

Block's main impact on car culture has been to make precision driving visible and appealing to people who are not racing fans. Before Gymkhana videos, drifting and advanced driving techniques were mostly known within racing and car enthusiast communities. Block's videos brought those techniques into mainstream entertainment, the way skateboarding videos brought skateboarding into mainstream culture.

This visibility has had real effects. Car manufacturers have paid attention to the interest in performance driving and precision handling. Driving schools and racing experiences have become more popular partly because people want to learn techniques they saw in videos. The aesthetic of modified cars and the culture around them have shifted partly because of how Gymkhana videos presented them.

Block has also influenced how car content is produced online. The combination of high production value, music, and precise cinematography that he pioneered is now standard in car content. Many creators who make car videos today are working within a template that Block helped establish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ken Block still making Gymkhana videos?

Ken Block released Gymkhana 10 in 2020 and has not released a new numbered Gymkhana video since then. He continues to create driving content through Hoonigan and other projects, but the main Gymkhana series appears to be complete. He has focused more on racing and other business ventures in recent years.

Can I learn to drive like Ken Block?

You can learn advanced driving techniques through professional racing schools and driver training programs, many of which teach drifting, precision steering, and other skills Block uses. However, these programs require significant time and money, and they teach you to perform these techniques safely in controlled environments. You cannot legally or safely practice these techniques on public roads.

What cars does Ken Block drive in his videos?

Block has driven many different cars in Gymkhana videos, including Ford Fiestas, Mustangs, and other models. Each car is heavily modified with upgraded engines, suspension, brakes, and other performance parts. The specific car changes with each video and is often chosen based on the location and the sponsorships involved.

Did Ken Block race professionally before YouTube?

Block was involved in action sports and business before his YouTube fame, but his professional racing career developed alongside his online presence. The Gymkhana videos and his racing career grew together, with each one raising his profile in the other. He was not a professional racing driver first who then became famous online.

What happened to DC Shoes after Ken Block left?

Ken Block co-founded DC Shoes but is no longer involved in running the company. DC Shoes was sold to Quiksilver in 2004 and has changed ownership several times since. Block moved on to other business ventures, most notably Hoonigan, which focuses on car culture rather than action sports.