Born and raised in Southern California, Block began his professional racing career in rallying in 2005 with the Vermont SportsCar team, driving a Subaru WRX STi. He finished seventh overall at Sno*Drift, his first event, and ultimately placed fourth overall in the 2005 Rally America National Championship, earning the Rookie of the Year award.
In 2006, Block partnered with Travis Pastrana as “Subaru Rally Team USA” and competed in the first X Games rally event, finishing third. He followed this with a second-place finish in the 2006 Rally America National Championship. Block continued to compete in rally and X Games events in 2007, achieving a silver medal at X Games XIII and finishing third overall in the Rally America National Championship. By the end of 2007, he had accumulated 19 podiums and 8 overall victories in rally events.
Block secured his first Canadian rally win at the Rallye Baie-des Chaleurs in 2008 with his new Subaru WRX STi. He also won Rally New York USA that same year, finishing second overall in the 2008 Rally America National Championship. In 2009, Block appeared on the BBC show Top Gear and released the popular YouTube video “Gymkhana 2”.
In 2010, Block transitioned to Ford, competing part-time in the World Rally Championship for Monster World Rally Team, becoming the first American driver to do so. He scored two points with a ninth-place finish in Spain and won his fifth consecutive Rally in the 100 Acre Wood. A roll during the 2011 Rally de Portugal resulted in Block and his co-driver being hospitalized, but both were reported to be fine. He achieved a seventh-place finish at the 2013 Rally Mexico, earning his first six championship points of the season.
Block also found success in rallycross. He competed in the X Games rallycross events, earning a bronze medal in 2006, a silver medal in 2007, and another bronze in 2008. From 2011 to 2015, he competed in the Global RallyCross Championship, achieving six wins and 15 podiums, and finishing third in 2013 and second in 2014. He returned full-time for the 2018 Americas Rallycross Championship, claiming two podiums and finishing fourth in points. In 2014, he won a round of the European Rallycross Championship in Norway, and also finished third in the Norway round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship.
Block became widely known for his “Gymkhana” video series, which showcased his drifting and car control skills in various locations and garnered millions of views on YouTube. He also participated in other motorsport activities, including the Gumball 3000 Rally in 2005 and 2006, and set a world record for the fastest snowcat with his modified Ford Raptor, the RaptorTrax.
Block’s daughter, Lia Block, began competing in rally in 2022, winning the O2WD Driver's Championship in 2023 and joining the Williams Driver Academy in November of that year. On January 2, 2023, Block died in a snowmobile accident near his ranch in Woodland, Utah. The World Rally Championship and the American Rally Association permanently retired the number 43 in his honor.
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