Tag: gymkhana

  • Ken Block and Ford’s marriage is over, Block’s a free agent now

    Ken Block and Ford are ending their 10-year exclusive partnership, leaving Block a free agent to pursue deals with other automakers, Block and Ford Performance confirmed Friday.

    “Working with Ford over the past decade has been awesome,” Block said in a statement published on his Hoonigan Racing Division website. “I’m super appreciative to Ford for the support over the years, but I am also looking forward to what an unrestricted 2021 holds, and the ability to spread my wings a bit and play with a lot (of) other toys.”

    “All of us at Ford are very grateful for Ken Block and his bringing the thrill of Ford Performance vehicles to a whole new generation of car buyers,” Ford Performance said in a statement released on Twitter. “He did it in ways that are uniquely Ken—with fun, energetic, and extraordinary driving exhibitions that were unmatched in the automotive world, along with important victories and performances in rally and RallyCross worldwide.”

    Ken Block’s “Gymkhana 10” 1977 Ford F-150 Hoonitruck

    Ken Block’s “Gymkhana 10” 1977 Ford F-150 Hoonitruck

    Block’s partnership with Ford encompassed motorsports and custom vehicle builds for his Gymkhana video series. It led to cars like the 1,400-horsepower all-wheel drive “Hoonicorn” Mustang, the 1977 Ford F-150 “Hoonitruck,” and even a Ford Escort RS Cosworth, all of which appeared in various Gymkhana videos starting with Gymkhana Three.

    The partnership also included rallying and rallycross campaigns, with 19 wins, 17 other podiums, and two X Games medals. More recently, Block moved to the all-electric Projekt E rallycross series with a Ford Fiesta ERX race car.

    Block hasn’t always been beholden to Ford. He drove Subaru WRX STI rally cars in the first two Gymkhana videos, and the automaker recently returned to the series for Gymkhana 11, with Subaru race driver Travis Pastrana replacing Block.

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  • Watch Travis Pastrana rock his hometown in this wild Subaru in Gymkhana 2020

    The last instalment in Ken Block’s Gymkhana series, number 10, dropped in 2018, and in it we saw the head Hoonigan pass the steering wheel to occasional series guest star Travis Pastrana, hinting that Pastrana would take over in future videos.

    Well, it’s happened for Gymkhana 11, whose official title is Gymkhana 2020. Airing Tuesday, the latest instalment sees Pastrana rock his hometown of Annapolis, Maryland, in a custom Subaru WRX STI packing 862 horsepower thanks to a 2.3-liter turbocharged flat-4 running a monster 50 psi of boost.

    You’ll notice the entire body of the car is made from carbon fiber, helping reduce the weight to 2,623 pounds, or about 800 pounds less than a stock WRX STI. It has also been fitted with wildly aggressive aero parts that Subaru said have been tested in the wind tunnel. Other upgrades include long-travel suspension and a stripped interior built to Pastrana’s specs. Overseeing the build was rally car constructor Vermont SportsCar based in Milton, Vermont.

    Block also drove Subarus in the early Gymkhana videos, before switching to Ford, so this represents a return to the series for Subaru. It’s also a great way to promote the arrival of the redesigned 2022 BRZ, which you’ll spot making a cameo in the video.

    But will we ever see Block back behind the wheel in a Gymkhana video? He doesn’t plan to give up his seat permanently. Adding a new driver “sets the ground for a new game of one-upmanship,” he said in a statement.

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  • TRAVIS PASTRANA WRX STI: GYMKHANA SCOOB IS READY FOR FULL-SEND

    Travis Pastrana is one of those people who’s annoyingly good at everything they do – motocross, stunt driving, monster trucks, NASCAR… and what’s even more irritating is that he’s a really nice guy, so it’s hard to loathe him for it.

    TRAVIS PASTRANA WRX STI

    We can get jealous though, particularly when we gaze in wonder at his new Gymkhana build. C’mon just look at it!

    You may or may not have heard that our ol’ buddy Kenny from the Block won’t be driving in the next Gymkhana video, but will be handing the reins to Pastrana.

    TRAVIS PASTRANA WRX STI

    And this badass Subaru is what he’ll be using: a fully bespoke WRX STI fusing elements of WRC and DTM, its unique bodywork finished in bare carbon with an eye-searing graphics package.

    The fancy-shmancy 2.3-litre boxer motor boasts a billet block, and the aerodynamics can be altered with steering wheel buttons.

    TRAVIS PASTRANA WRX STI

    Brilliantly, other steering wheel buttons are labelled ‘Send It’, ‘Donuts’, ‘Shake’ and ‘Bake’. Naturally you can be damn sure this thing dances like a ballerina. And there’s an annoyingly nice man behind the wheel.

    Words Dan Bevis

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