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People’s Champ: The Impact of Ken Block Honors Motorsport Icon at the Petersen
The motorsports community was shocked and saddened at the sudden passing of Ken Block in early 2023, gone at the age of just 55. Block was a skateboarder, an entrepreneur, one heck of a rally driver, and a beloved friend, husband, and father. He left an indelible mark on action sports, motorsports, and filmmaking that will echo long into the future. To celebrate his legacy, the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles worked with Forty Three Institute to gather nine of Block’s most notable vehicles (along with photos and memorabilia) from his illustrious career to create an exhibition entitled, People’s Champ: The Impact of Ken Block.
The Hoonitruck, an Ecoboost-V-6-powered 1977 Ford F-150 pickup, has a prime spot in the Petersen’s exhibition. The 914-hp truck was introduced in Gymkhana 10 and starred in Climbkhana Two.
The Pink-Pig-inspired Hoonipigasus is audacious even considering the rest of the powerful, turbocharged company.
Seven more vehicles are positioned around the exhibit, with plenty of room to see them from all sides. We have a special connection with the Hoonicorn, the AWD, twin-turbo V-8 Mustang. It was used in Gymkhana 7, back when its 410-cube Roush Yates Ford V-8 was naturally aspirated. Now it has two very conspicuous turbos boosting output to 1400 hp.
A wall in the center of the exhibit does double duty. One side pays homage to the body panels and drivetrain parts sacrificed for the sake of speed. The other highlights some of Block’s collaborations with artists. The three driving suits reflect the work of artists Filipe Pantone, David Gwyther (aka Death Spray Custom), and Ricardo Gonzales (aka It’s a Living).
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One entire wall of the exhibit serves as a timeline of Block’s amazing career. There are also screens that play Block’s viral Ghykhana videos on a loop, plus a video produced for the exhibit and narrated by Block’s longtime friend and business partner, Brian Scotto. Together, they offer insight into Block’s personality off and on camera.
Pam Zamoscianyk, who worked with Block since his days at DC Shoes, is now the Executive Director of Forty Three Institute (43I), which seeks to further Block’s spirit by helping promote the kinds of athletes and artists that he would have appreciated. We asked her about 43I and its mission. “Ken always gave back to people and always mentored people. He was never braggadocious about it,” said Zamoscianyk. “So when we had Ken’s untimely passing, we had to make sure to continue on his legacy of helping people, mentoring people, and giving back to people.”
(If you’d like to help 43I with its mission, you can visit its site and donate.)
We cannot recommend the Petersen Museum enough. If you are in the Los Angeles area, make sure to stop by and take it all in. Even if you’ve been before, the museum is always evolving and changing by curating fantastic new exhibits. People’s Champ: The Impact of Ken Block opens on Saturday, February 15th. You can find tickets HERE.
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He is a hero to many on the internet. He knew marketing really well and made attention grabbing videos. His passing was very sad. I know his family misses him dearly.
Enjoyed his videos, watched him race WRC a bit, and got to see Hoonipigasus in the metal at Porsche Rennsport Reunion 7.
Nice to see this tribute to the man.