If you’re a fan of all things cars, all things motorsports, and generally all things badass, you’re probably already familiar with Ken Block. The DC Shoes founder decided making one of the more iconic skating brands wasn’t enough, so he turned his sights towards becoming one of the gutsiest rally drivers on earth.

If you aren’t familiar with him, let me introduce you to him the way my dad did for me all those years ago.

His Gymkhana videos were nothing short of breathtaking, as Block would pilot his different rally machines through some of the gnarliest terrain and city streets one could find, and he made it look good. Better than good, he made it look effortless.

I wasn’t a car guy when I first saw these. I was an angsty 15-year-old who was avoiding his homework and praying that his voice would eventually drop a few octaves because he was a super late bloomer. But that video open my eyes to a different world, and I turned into Frank Reynolds saying “I get it now” while I watched Block carve up the mean streets of San Fran.

When Block passed away in a snowmobile accident, a lot of people’s worlds stopped for a moment. I remember where I was. I was at one of my favorite bars in K-town, The Normandie Club, and while I can’t remember if I was on one of my many failed dates or out with friends, what I do remember is my jaw dropping, I remember the doom scrolling, and I remember my phone blowing up from all my group chats sharing the news in disbelief.

One of the raddest to ever do it, someone who helped myself and so many others get into cars, was gone, as were the aspirations of more Gymkhana watch parties with my dad. But this article isn’t meant to be a somber remembrance of the past. It’s a celebration of the man, and it’s brought to us by the Petersen Automotive Museum and its newest exhibit “People’s Champ: The Legacy of Ken Block.”

The Exhibit

The beauty of the exhibit is its totality. From the Petersen’s description:

“This exhibit will honor Block’s legacy through a display of his most iconic vehicles and memorabilia like racing suits, helmets, wheels, DC Shoes, and Hoonigan merchandise from key moments in his career.“

They weren’t lying; it’s all there.

Personally, the stuff was all my favorite. Seeing the cars is one thing, but seeing the stuff that shows Block was human, the timeline and memorabilia of his life, is something that doesn’t come across on camera. Looking at the shoes they had on display, I was thinking of my parents saying to “walk a mile in their shoes,” but seeing Block’s there made me think there’s no way I could ever walk in them, let alone put the pedal down off the edge of Pikes Peak.

But I’m a nerd freaking out about the small things. Let’s talk about some of the cars.

2022 Porsche 911 SVRSR “Hoonipigasus”

Ya know, I wasn’t expecting to be wowed by this one because it’s been at the Petersen before; it’s old news to me, but I’m wrong. If stage presence were a vehicle, it would be this. It was built for Pikes Peak, and anything made for the hill climb is already impressive (although I’m biased considering I’ve shot it). This car is no different, boasting an insane aero kit and stupid power figures. And on the note of that aero kit, just look at its rear end.

A rear wing the size of my entire body and a diffuser with venturi tunnels the size of toddlers would have this thing planted to the ground I’m sure. Unfortunately, Block was never able to finish his 2022 run due to mechanical issues, but his daughter, Lia, finished the run for him in 2023.

1965 Ford Mustang RTR “Hoonicorn”

Look at this thing. I know I said it before, but if stage presence were a car, it’d be this. I remember seeing it for the first time in Gymkhana Seven being chained up and doing burnouts in a warehouse as the tires poured out smoke and kicked up dust, and it was beautiful.

That was in its original configuration, too, when it made “only” 845 horses. It was later updated to make 1,400 horsies, matching that of the Pink Pikes Piggy Porsche, and it appeared in multiple other videos including Gymkhana Ten (probably my favorite of them) and the Climbkhana that I already linked above.

1977 Ford F-150 “Hoonitruck”

Okay but really this time … if stage presence were a car. This one is, and always has been, my favorite by a metric mile. I’ve talked about it a couple of times on our socials and hinted to it in some articles, but I’m a sucker for old trucks; I just think they have a beautiful design to them. But take an old truck, give it two super snails on its V6, hang ’em out for the world to see, and give it that sick nasty paint job with the white wheels? You’ve got a winner on your hands.

1994 Ford Escort RS Cosworth WRC “Cossie V2”

Who doesn’t love a good ol’ fashioned Escort? The split livery on this one is what does it for me, same with that massive, old-school rear wing. According to the exhibit info, Block’s original ’91 version of this ride went up in flames back in 2018, and the team decided to snag this ’94 Escort and bring it to modern spec back in 2019, hence why they call this one the “Cossie V2.”

2022 Audi S1 E-Tron Quattro “Hoonitron”

This is pretty comfortably my second favorite after the Hoonitruck. Built for the first-ever “Electrikhana,” the Hoonitron burned its way into my heart when it drifted down the Las Vegas Strip and showed what the future of both cars and the web series could be. Sure, it’s a classic case of EVs missing the emotion that a howling V8 fills you with when its banging the rev limiter, but you can still hear those motors work in the Hoonitron, and they aren’t slouching.

Even then, the possibilities of an EV platform in these videos raises the bar. A Gymkhana car that can spin its wheels in opposite directions? Sure, why not. Over 4,000 lb-ft of torque ready at a moment’s notice when he stomps the pedal? Just bring some extra tires because this thing will kill them faster than you can imagine.

It’s also worth noting that Block drove this in his final outing in the “-khana” series, with Electrikhana 2 in Mexico City.

This is all an infinitely small taste of what the broader exhibit has to offer; if I wrote about every car, photo, and trinket on display, I’d have a book as long as Tolkien’s. Instead of exhausting you with my writing and my photos, I’ll just leave you with this: If you have even the smallest shred of interest and a free day, make the trip to the Petersen Automotive Museum. This exhibit alone is worth the price of admission, and if you aren’t a fan of Block, well, there’s plenty of other rad stuff to see at the museum, too #NotAnAdThey’reJustCool.

You can find more info about the exhibit here and can watch all of Ken Block’s Gymkhana series here.

All photos by me unless otherwise noted.