‘Life is indeed short’
Top Gear star Ken Block shared a haunting final video showing the “sketchy” conditions just hours before he died in a snowmobile accident in America.
The 55-year-old, best known for his Gymkhana video series, died on Monday while riding in Utah’s Wasatch County.
According to Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office, Block died after the snowmobile he was on overturned and landed on top of him on a steep slope. Block was riding in a group, but was alone when the accident occurred, the sheriff’s office said.
The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, “from injuries sustained in the accident”, but the sheriff’s office said the State Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the official cause of death.
In a post on its website, Hoonigan Racing wrote: “It’s with our deepest regrets that we confirm that we can confirm that Ken Block passed away in a snowmobile accident today.”
Shortly before he died, Block posted a story on Instagram, which showed him out in the snow. He captioned the post:
“Sketchy and snowy drive with some great snowboard entertainment.”
In another, he shared a shot of several vehicles covered in a thick layer of snow.
Life is indeed short. 💔😔
Ken Block's last Instagram post.
The rally superstar died shortly afterwards in a snowmobile accident.#seanknows pic.twitter.com/xEUyUpUiVk
— Sean Cardovillis (@seancardo) January 3, 2023
Fans who watched his last post have shared tributes on social media, with one person posting: “Life is indeed short.
“Ken Block’s last Instagram post. The rally superstar died shortly afterwards in a snowmobile accident.”
Another said: “Wasn’t expecting to hear about rally and stunt driver Ken Block passing away at just 56.
“Apparently the cause was a snowmobile accident. Just 11 hours ago he had posted stories on Instagram where he was excited about heavy snow in his area.”
Fans also paid tribute to the acclaimed driver on his last grid post which he used to praise his 16-year-old daughter, Lia, for “tearing down, rebuilding and now driving her ‘85 Audi Ur Quattro”.
The rally star shared pictures of the snow-covered landscape surrounding his ranch on Instagram early Monday morning, writing:
“It’s been dumping snow in Park City, Utah this week with more forecasted for the weekend, and we wouldn’t be able to make it out to the ranch without the SkiDoo sleds and Kubota machinery to clear the way! Can’t wait to see how much more powder stacks up over the next few days!”
Another recent post shows several snowmobiles blanketed in snow with the caption: “This is how some mornings at my ranch in Utah look this time of year – freshly coated with snow!”
Ken Block, who appeared on two episodes of Top Gear in 2016, began his rallying career in 2005 and was named Rookie of the Year in the Rally America Championship.
He competed in the World Rally Championship and won several rallycross medals at the X Games. The American also co-founded sportswear company DC Shoes.
Block’s last YouTube video posted two weeks ago was a behind the scenes look at the 2022 American Rally Association season and was titled “Go fast risk every thang”.
The video description explained the title: “This is the mantra that we often have to use when racing rally. Sometimes it leads to champagne ceremonies, sometimes to crashed cars.”
Block’s death comes after actor Jeremy Renner was left in a critical but stable condition following a snowmobile accident at his Nevada home over the weekend.
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- Top Gear and rally legend Ken Block killed in snowmobile accident
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