This past weekend, Ken Block once again headed across the Atlantic to partake in the final round of the Monster Energy Gymkhana GRID European Gauntlet series. The Gauntlet is a grassroots Gymkhana GRID competition that tours around Europe, offering amateurs and professionals alike the opportunity to compete for an invitation to the final event—one where they can then compete for the right to do battle with the series founder himself, Ken Block.
A mix of head-to-head mirrored course racing in both all-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive classes, as well as exhibition runs by Monster Energy athletes/drivers such as Block himself, Vaughn Gittin Jr., Terry Grant, Buttsy Butler and Baggsy Biagioni, the event took place at the famous “Rock in Rio” venue southeast of Madrid, Spain.
Competition-wise, Block had a solid day, despite suffering woes with his electronically controlled paddle-shift gearbox during an exhibition run which ended up putting him against a concrete barrier, as well as during the Supercars final against local fan favorite Nani Roma, costing him the win. Still, Block took second overall in the Supercar finals, having beaten fellow Monster driver Liam Doran in the first round of competition to make it to the final. Block also defeated the grassroots winner, Dmitriyj Sribnyj during the final race of the day.
“I had a lot of fun out here in Madrid this weekend,” said Block. “I had a few electrical glitches with my paddle-shift transmission over the course of the event today, but I’m stoked with how the European Gauntlet series has grown so much just from last year. The depth of talent and cars is now really impressive, these are very talented drivers and it’s awesome that they’re as excited about competing in GRID events as I am. I’m looking forward to next year’s event, hopefully I’ll have some better luck then as well!”
Block now departs Spain and heads to Las Vegas for appearances at the SEMA tradeshow as well as competing in his final competitive event of the year, Global RallyCross Las Vegas on November 7th.
