Ken Block, Rally Driver and Action Sports Great, Dead at 55

Block wore many hats during his career, including marketing executive, rally driver and YouTube star.

Rally driver Ken Block, an action sports icon who co-founded DC Shoes in 1994, died Monday in a snowmobile accident near his Woodland, Utah home at the age of 55.

"It's with deepest regrets that we can confirm that Ken Block passed away in a snowmobile accident today," a statement from Block's company, Hoonigan Industries, said. "Ken was a visionary, a pioneer and an icon. And most importantly, a father and husband. He will be incredibly missed."

Block, a native of Long Beach, Calif., came to rally driving relatively late in life. He sold his stake in DC Shoes in 2004 and took up the sport in his mid-30s.

He immediately made his mark on the sport, finishing fourth overall in the 2005 Rally America National Championship. Block was named the organization's Rookie of the Year, kicking off a lengthy rally career.

Block became a medal threat in the X Games at the high tide of action sports’ mid-2000s popularity, debuting with a bronze in rallycross in 2006. He would go on to add silver medals in the event in ‘07, ’12, and ’13, along with another bronze in ’08.

Capitalizing on his success, Block debuted a popular series of gymkhana videos on YouTube, which combined amassed over a billion views.