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Did a short search, nothing turned up so I don't think this has been posted before but can you ever get enough of the Ken Block videos anyway?
A short video from a Top Gear segment over on Jalopnik:
http://jalopnik.com/5308063/top-gear-ken-block-takes-james-may-sideways?skyline=tr...
If it's already been out and beat to death then kindly move along.
The bit through the junk yard was pretty good. They still managed to work in the annoying slow mo effect, I am kinda wondering if Ken's editors took over the segment.
Lol that's a good one. The look on May's face over the jump is priceless!
Ken Block is like bacon that drives.
TJ wrote:Ken Block is like bacon that drives.
Please print this in the magazine.
TJ wrote:Ken Block is like bacon that drives.
Instead of meat candy..... man candy on wheels......?
That's just weird.
Perfect.
The shriek in the hangar was dead nuts awesome.
New to me, not that that means much, thanks
Appleseed wrote:Perfect.
The shriek in the hangar was dead nuts awesome.
Wow.
Did you see the guy standing inside the hangar on the second trip through? 
at the 4:20min mark, how does one get an AWD car to spin like that? Does he have that Impreza equipped with individual wheel brakes, or is it some black-magic-heel-toe-handbrake-pass-a-dead-chicken-over-the-clutch-pedal-say-3-hail-marys-mash-the-gas-rally-god technique?
problemaddict wrote:at the 4:20min mark, how does one get an AWD car to spin like that? Does he have that Impreza equipped with individual wheel brakes, or is it some black-magic-heel-toe-handbrake-pass-a-dead-chicken-over-the-clutch-pedal-say-3-hail-marys-mash-the-gas-rally-god technique?
I haven't seen it yet, BUT: Is it just spinning in place pretty much?
Search "Axis Donut" on youtube. A lot of AWD cars can do it. Most notably, Audis.
No, I think he's referring to donuts where the front wheels stay pretty much planted and the back just swings around in circles. Not that hard to do in a RWD car, but I don't really understand the physics of it in an AWD car. The axis donuts make sense for an AWD car.
He has direct control over the center differential, so he can dial it back to make it act more like a RWD car.
Clarkson did something similar with the Evo X when comparing it to the newest WRX. He drove rings around the Subaru with the Evo.
For further evidence, check out the Top Gear test of the Prodrive P2 (Subaru based prototype with the active center diff)
He may have a variable center diff that allows transfer of torque between front and rear axles. IIRC WRC cars had it set up to when the handbrake was pulled the power was cut to rear axles so they could lock while fronts continued to pull.
Maybe he has a happy button for the opposite.
Also keep in mind an awd car with an open diff in front and tons of power is going to smoke the inside front tire if you were spinnin donuts. Fun to watch but not doing much as far as preventing the on axis donut.
That was a fun video to watch. I really miss Top Gear... makes me want cable again... 
The internet is your friend. You can find ANYTHING on the internet. Including Top Gear. 
"Mind the aeroplanes!!!!!!!!!!!"
The shot with the dirt bike and rally car jumping with the C-130 flying behind them...so over the top.
I don't know, I know some think he's the best thing with cars since sliced bread but not me. I repsect Travis, but for some reason not Block too much. It just seems like they gave the keys to a purpose built AWD car to a rich kid that made a career making shoes and all of a sudden started and told him, alright just go wild! Hell I could do that, so can most of us here! I mean it really isn't that hard to powerslide and AWD car like that expecially with all that room. I don't know, it just pisses me off because i wish I had the money to just do this and get that chance. It just seems too much, I like the part when James said about practicing in Whales or Finland, because those are real
Now show me him doing this on a tighter course with a Maxi 5 or Stratos, or him in the 405 T16 up Pikes Peak beating Ari Vatenen's time, then i'll be impressed
Twin_Cam wrote:"Mind the aeroplanes!!!!!!!!!!!"
The shot with the dirt bike and rally car jumping with the C-130 flying behind them...so over the top.
And its a C-130J with the rad 6 bladed props!
Excellent timing.
NickF40 wrote:I don't know, I know some think he's the best thing with cars since sliced bread but not me. I repsect Travis, but for some reason not Block too much. It just seems like they gave the keys to a purpose built AWD car to a rich kid that made a career making shoes and all of a sudden started and told him, alright just go wild! Hell I could do that, so can most of us here! I mean it really isn't that hard to powerslide and AWD car like that expecially with all that room. I don't know, it just pisses me off because i wish I had the money to just do this and get that chance. It just seems too much, I like the part when James said about practicing in Whales or Finland, because those are real
Now show me him doing this on a tighter course with a Maxi 5 or Stratos, or him in the 405 T16 up Pikes Peak beating Ari Vatenen's time, then i'll be impressed
Bah-Everyone can do it when they aren't doing it!
NickF40 wrote:I don't know, I know some think he's the best thing with cars since sliced bread but not me. I repsect Travis, but for some reason not Block too much. It just seems like they gave the keys to a purpose built AWD car to a rich kid that made a career making shoes and all of a sudden started and told him, alright just go wild! Hell I could do that, so can most of us here! I mean it really isn't that hard to powerslide and AWD car like that expecially with all that room. I don't know, it just pisses me off because i wish I had the money to just do this and get that chance. It just seems too much, I like the part when James said about practicing in Whales or Finland, because those are real
Now show me him doing this on a tighter course with a Maxi 5 or Stratos, or him in the 405 T16 up Pikes Peak beating Ari Vatenen's time, then i'll be impressed
sour grapes
NickF40 wrote:I don't know, I know some think he's the best thing with cars since sliced bread but not me. I repsect Travis, but for some reason not Block too much. It just seems like they gave the keys to a purpose built AWD car to a rich kid that made a career making shoes and all of a sudden started and told him, alright just go wild! Hell I could do that, so can most of us here! I mean it really isn't that hard to powerslide and AWD car like that expecially with all that room. I don't know, it just pisses me off because i wish I had the money to just do this and get that chance. It just seems too much, I like the part when James said about practicing in Whales or Finland, because those are real
Now show me him doing this on a tighter course with a Maxi 5 or Stratos, or him in the 405 T16 up Pikes Peak beating Ari Vatenen's time, then i'll be impressed
Hmm, that's one way of looking at it I suppose.
I don't know, I find it hard to fault a guy who was a co-founder of a successful company and decides to branch out into motorsports with his own money. Are some of the car antics and stunts a little overboard...sure...but I'd bet nearly any (non-professional) driving enthusiast would give anything to trade lives with Mr. Block.
I believe it's been said before on this board, but I'm also a big fan of the "Ricky Bobby" mentality Block takes to rally racing. He either finishes well or destroys the car in pursuit of a win.
First or last, always! 
Racer1ab wrote:I believe it's been said before on this board, but I'm also a big fan of the "Ricky Bobby" mentality Block takes to rally racing. He either finishes well or destroys the car in pursuit of a win.
That's actually a terrible thing for a rally driver, and doesn't show much more then lacking in one of the more fundamental skills of stage rally.
Don't mind the guy, but I am getting tired of the "fans" and fame. So many people suddenly looking at him like a rally god when he isn't even competitive on an international level.
I can safely and honestly say that i wouldn't have a hope of accomplishing half of his stunts. So it's good entertainment to me.
Even if i could do them all, i'd still watch them and enjoy him. No use in putting someone down just for entertaining people.
I don't think he's ever once said he was THE BEST EVAR so let's not put words on his mouth. Mmmmmkay?
yeah... in the interviews I've read and heard of him, he's pretty humble and amused by his fame. Basically, just a guy having a good time... Whether he brings in sponsorship money or not, I don't think he would have lasted this long in the sport if he didn't have some level of talent.
But most importantly, the popularity of these videos has increased exposure of rally in the US... which we ALL should be thanking him for. Maybe... just maybe... we'll get the WRC back on tv...
