Ken Block Sent Us a Gymkhana Gift From Beyond, and It’s Coming Soon
At the top of the year, we lost one of the greatest wheelmen ever to live to a horrible snowmobile accident. Ken Block wasn’t just an immensely talented driver and rider; he was also creative, smart, and seemingly nothing but a good hang. While his passing was a dagger, we are blessed with one more ride with Master Driver Ken Block, as a final Gymkhana film, “Electrikhana Two,” is coming out soon. Hide your car keys; this film is likely to give you false confidence and an itch to blast your tires.
What is Gymkhana?
Before we get into Block’s final film, we need to talk about Gymkhana. Technically, Gymkhana is an equestrian event that involves coordinated games and races on horseback. While there should be no doubt that Ken Block could probably also ride the hell out of a horse, his Gymkhana was basically the same thing but without the horses. In fact, he borrowed the name directly from the horse masters.
Ken Block’s Gymkhana, as defined by Wikipedia: “Events are time and/or speed events in an automobile. These can feature obstacles such as cones, tires, and barrels. The driver must maneuver through a predetermined “track” performing many different driving techniques. What separates gymkhana from traditional autocross events is that the gymkhana requires drivers to perform reversals, 180-degree spins, 360-degree spins, parking boxes, figure 8s, and other advanced skills. Drifting is also encouraged where helpful or necessary. Essentially, a gymkhana is any event featuring a starting point, a finish line, and some sort of “obstacle” to get through, around, or by, all within a certain time limit.”
When does “Electrikhana Two” come out?
The Hoonigans YouTube channel announced the secret film with a surprise teaser trailer this past Tuesday. The teaser shows Block driving a purpose-built Audi S1 Hoonitron EV, a mostly carbon fiber, all-electric Audi, a tribute to the Sport Quattro S1 Pikes Peak. According to Hoonigan, “Electrikhana TWO” is currently set for December 2023.
Excitingly, the teaser seems to depict the driving stunts taking place in Mexico. I honestly don’t know if this is simply following the wake of Forza Horizon 5 or if there is a deeper reason for the placement. Either way, you can trust that it will be rad. If you find yourself wondering how this film was made, Block filmed these parts late last year, right before his fatal snowmobile accident.
How did Ken Block die?
Block was never afraid to rip the ever-loving hell out of whatever machine he found himself near. The dude was gnarly. Unfortunately, like so many others who make a life based on doing extremely rad stuff, Ken Block died doing what he loved: being too rad.
On January 2, 2023, Ken Block was snowmobiling near his ranch in Woodland, Utah. He was going down a steep downhill when the sled upended and landed on top of him, killing him at the scene. Ken Block died at 55 years, not only as an incredibly talented driver but, most importantly, as a father and husband. The scene has and will continue to miss the hell out of Ken Block. We are thankful that there’s another chance for us all to experience the man’s skills, creativity, and passion one more time.
