Ken Block ’s family and friends gathered to celebrate the American rally legend’s life in Park City, Utah on Wednesday. Former Mitsubishi WRC team manager Derek Dauncey was among those paying tribute to the man he mentored for 16 years in the sport, including two seasons of WRC action in 2010 and 2011. Close to 600 people were invited to join Block’s family to remember the 55-year-old who passed away following a snowmobiling accident last week. A collection of Block’s rally cars were lined up at the entrance to the Woodward Park City ski resort, where proceedings began at 1:43 in the afternoon.
Dauncey said: “It’s incredible to see so many people coming to celebrate what Ken did. He was a very special person. Ken came to the sport quite late, he’d already had a very successful life in business before he got to rallying. But when he did [get there], he came with an absolute desire to compete. Ken was never about being a gentleman driver in the sport to make up the numbers. He wanted to improve, to get better and be more competitive all the time. In the last week, it’s been amazing to read some of the tributes and the words from some of his peers from the sport. You realise again how much respect and appreciation there was for him. He was good for the sport, he broadened the appeal of rallying and took it to a different generation. As well as being a great driver, he was a visionary and a pioneer. As well as all of that, he was my friend – he’s somebody we’re going to miss terribly.”
The number 43 has been withdrawn from use in this year’s FIA World Rally Championship as a mark of respect to motorsport icon Ken Block. FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said: “Given the enormous contribution our great friend Ken Block made to motorsport and the fact that he was held in such high regard by people the world over, it is entirely appropriate that his #43 will be withdrawn from use during the 2023 WRC season. While it’s a small gesture, we hope that it is one that will bring some comfort to his family and friends at this time. Ken was a true legend and the memory of this true legend will live with us forever”.
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