Introducing... Rally Car Racing, the newest event for the X Games. Joe Morahan © Lat34

Ken Block, owner of DC Shoes is competing in Rally Car

The DC Shoe Company is without question one of the biggest brands in action sports.  Sponsoring the likes of moto madman Travis Pastrana, Mega Ramp pioneer Danny Way and BMX standout Chad Kagy, DC is always on the cutting edge of what’s hot and what they have up their sleeves for X Games 12 is no exception.  In an industry first, Ken Block, DC’s President and co-founder, is set to compete in the X Games’ newest addition - Rally Car Racing.  Creating a huge buzz around the Home Depot Center and beyond, Block looks to come out on top and earn his first-ever X Games medal along with co-driver Alex Gelsomino. 
 
“I’ve been a fan of rally car racing ever since I was a kid,” Block said.  “I grew up in America, but for some reason I was never really into the stuff that went around in circles on street.  I liked to watch the rally that came out of Europe.”  Crediting fellow rally car enthusiast Travis Pastrana (also competing in X Games Rally Car) for getting him started, Block is currently ranked sixth nationally after only beginning to race in January 2005.  Not too shabby for one of the biggest action sports moguls on the planet.   “After we signed Travis as a DC athlete, I told his agent that I wanted to go racing with him,” he said.  The rest, as the saying goes, is history. 
 
So with “action sports” constantly evolving and new trends happening all of the time, it’s only natural that new events are added to the X Games.  But rally car racing?  That one might raise some eyebrows.  However, Block thinks otherwise and feels there are more similarities than differences between rally car racing and traditional X Games offerings.  “I think as far as bringing a motor sport into the X Games, this is the only one that really fits.”  

-Glen Braunsdorf