Ken Block: Rally driver and YouTuber killed in snowmobile accident - BBC

American motorsport fable and YouTube prima Ken Block has died successful a snowmobile mishap successful Utah astatine the property of 55.

A competitory rally operator successful bid specified arsenic Rally America and Global Rallycross, helium earned wide renown aboriginal successful beingness for his "Gymkhana" video bid connected YouTube.

The 10-part series, successful which helium performed daring racing feats, earned him astir 2 cardinal subscribers.

Block besides co-founded the skate-wear covering marque DC Shoes.

Hoonigan Industries, different covering institution helium owned, confirmed its founder's passing successful a connection connected Instagram connected Monday.

"Ken was a visionary, a pioneer and an icon. And astir importantly, a begetter and husband. He volition beryllium incredibly missed."

Block was riding a snowmobile up a steep slope successful Wasatch County, Utah, erstwhile the conveyance upended, landing connected apical of him, the section sheriff's bureau wrote connected Facebook.

He was pronounced dormant astatine the country from the injuries helium sustained.

The sheriff's bureau said that Block had been riding with a radical but was unsocial erstwhile the clang occurred.

A competitory rally operator since 2005, Block was Rally America's Rookie of the Year successful his archetypal play and went connected to triumph rallycross medals astatine the X Games and podium finishes astatine the World Rallycross Championship.

He besides competed successful different actions sports, including motocross, skateboarding and snowboarding.

But Block recovered a 2nd upwind connected YouTube, wherever millions watched him navigate unsafe tracks and obstacle courses successful a scope of vehicles.

He was featured doubly connected the BBC's Top Gear programme, arsenic good arsenic successful 4 EA Sports racing video games.

The BBC apologised aft Block and Top Gear big Matt LeBlanc performed doughnuts that created achromatic tyre marks adjacent the Cenotaph during a 2016 episode. The footage was ne'er aired.

The American Rally Association said it was "gutted" astatine the quality of Block's passing.

"He was a monolithic power connected everything helium touched, including the planetary satellite of rallying," it said successful a connection connected Facebook.

Fellow racers besides paid tribute to Block, with erstwhile British Formula One satellite champion Jenson Button calling him "a endowment that did truthful overmuch for our sport".

Nascar Xfinity Series operator Ryan Vargas said watching Block's videos "shaped my property and involvement successful cars".

Block is survived by his wife, Lucy, and 3 children.