Ron Zaras's blog

Adding to the runaway success of Gymkhana FIVE: Ultimate Urban Playground; San Francisco, Ken Block recently had the honor of adding a One Show Gold Pencil award to his mantle of achievements with the Gymkhana series.

Rally racing is one of the most grueling motorsports on the planet - it's typical to come back to a service missing bumpers, headlights, and windshields. And then sometimes, you lose a wheel.

After a tumultuous weekend of ups and downs, Hoonigan Racing Division’s Ken Block and Alex Gelsomino successfully completed the third stop of the Rally America championship, Oregon Trail Rally, finishing second overall.

The HRD duo got off to a rough start during Friday night’s opening stages when midway through SS3, their Ford Fiesta HFHV lost the front passenger side wheel due to a freak mechanical failure. Despite missing a wheel, Block and Gelsomino pushed on and finished day one in fourth overall.

After a freak mechanical issue during Day One’s night stages at Oregon Trail Rally, where Ken Block and Alex Gelsomino lost their front right wheel while on stage, the Hoonigan Racing Division boys took to the stages outside of Hood River, Oregon on Saturday with the goal of having a much better day of racing.

Kicking off Day 1 of Rally America’s Oregon Trail Rally with plenty of excitement, Hoonigan Racing Division’s Ken Block and Alex Gelsomino hit Friday’s opening stages feeling good. The duo, having had a successful test earlier in the week, were prepared for their fourth stage rally of 2013 and had a strong start to the rally on Friday evening, getting second fastest on one stage and winning the next.

Ken Block. Gymkhana. South Korea. Why? Because Monster Energy. The event, called the Ken Block Seoul Experience, was the FIRST event of its kind held in Seoul... and in the parking lot of the Seoul '88 Olympic Stadium, no less. Over 7000 Korean fans showed up to see gymkhana for the very first time outside of YouTube, and to watch along as the local drifting community had a driving contest of their own around a course designed by the Head Hoon in Charge himself. Check out the video to see the two days of tire slaying action.

Heading into the first of four Global X Games this year, Hoonigan Racing Division’s Ken Block hit X Games Brazil in his brand-new Ford Fiesta ST RX43 RallyCross with one goal: add to the collection of X Games medals on his wall at home. Unfortunately, that dream came to an abrupt end 100 feet into the RallyCross final when Block was hit from behind and into fellow Ford driver Tanner Foust, causing suspension damage to both drivers cars and forcing them out of the race.

Watch the video here: http://xgames.espn.go.com/video/9160351/ken-block

Heading into Brazil for the first of four Global X Games this year, Hoonigan Racing Division’s Ken Block is kicking off the start of the GRC race season in a big way—with an all-new video on ESPN that showcases Block unveiling, driving and partying with his brand-new Ford Fiesta ST RX43 racecar in England.

For the 2013 race season, Hoonigan Racing Division’s Ken Block is focused on two goals: winning gold at all four of this year’s Global X Games and going for the overall championship win during this year’s Global RallyCross season. Ken’s tool for achieving these goals is the all-new, M-Sport built, Hoonigan Racing Division Ford Fiesta ST RX43.

After having been out of the Ford Fiesta WRC since their last World Rally Championship appearance at Finland last summer, the Hoonigan Racing Division duo of Ken Block and Alex Gelsomino returned to WRC Mexico this weekend. The event also marked the pair’s 20th-ever race in a WRC car.