Yes, I would like to purchase a 12-pack of radial tires please.
November 12, 2008 11:45 AM   Subscribe

Ken Block Gymkhana Practice [video] (an obstacle course for cars)
posted by blue_beetle (34 comments total) 9 users marked this as a favorite
 
Amazing!

Whatever you do, watch long enough to see the Segway!
posted by HuronBob at 11:51 AM on November 12, 2008


Yeah, that guy will be coughing up rubber for weeks. He also has the biggest pair you'll see today.
posted by cjorgensen at 11:58 AM on November 12, 2008


The driving was unbelievable.
The camerawork, however, left much to be desired.
A shame really.
posted by Richard Daly at 12:03 PM on November 12, 2008


Agree with the poor quality. I was thinking halfway through that maybe now that I've seen all these poorly-shot scenes that are hard to follow and appreciate, maybe the second half will show me the whole ride from above, so I can actually see the whole thing and be amazed at the driving skill. No such luck.

Also, if you're going to have a shot in your video of a long page of text, hold the shot long enough for me to read it, thanks.
posted by yhbc at 12:09 PM on November 12, 2008


It's too bad that with all those great jump cuts, they couldn't cut to an action shot of Colin McRae spinning in his grave.
posted by mark242 at 12:28 PM on November 12, 2008


I thought he had some mad skills until he totally missed the guy on the Segway. Even I could have hit that!
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 12:31 PM on November 12, 2008 [7 favorites]


This is why I would never buy a used rental car.
posted by found missing at 12:34 PM on November 12, 2008


Part of me thinks this is really awesome, and part of me wonders if he could do the same thing on a bike. Or if he should try parkour instead.

I cringe at the thought of how much goes into making cars seem so awesome, while other people are trying to make cars more efficient or less necessary to daily life. Something of an internal Dude vs Hippie conflict.
posted by filthy light thief at 12:35 PM on November 12, 2008 [1 favorite]


I thought this was going to be about Gymkata.
posted by Pecinpah at 12:37 PM on November 12, 2008 [4 favorites]


Even I could have hit that!

Doesn't count!
posted by cjorgensen at 12:40 PM on November 12, 2008


I originally read the post as "Gymkata practice". I was disappoint at first, but it grew on me. Especially when the guy on the segway appeared. Breathe the rubber fumes, segway boy, breeeeeeathe!
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 12:55 PM on November 12, 2008


Ken Block also has the uncanny ability to fly.
posted by hellojed at 12:58 PM on November 12, 2008


Here's Block at the Lake Superior Pro Rally (2007). Extreme non-Block video from 2005.
posted by acro at 1:03 PM on November 12, 2008


That turn at 2:57? Drool.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 1:07 PM on November 12, 2008 [1 favorite]


I predict a summer action flick with a set-piece of this stuff somewhere in the next three years. Damn, that guy can control his car.
posted by egypturnash at 1:09 PM on November 12, 2008


Ken is living the life. He's been a pro skateboarder who's traveled the world. He's owned and sold one of the largest action sports companies in the world and become a gazillionaire and now he plays with fast cars just to rub it in.

If only the fun I have every so often came within 10% of the fun he has on a daily basis.

Sigh.
posted by photoslob at 1:21 PM on November 12, 2008


Ken Block and his Subaru at the DC Mountain Lab, a snowboard terrain park.
posted by clearly at 1:21 PM on November 12, 2008 [1 favorite]


I've had an enormous smile plastered to my face since I saw this in google reader this morning. Four wheel drifts make life worth living.
posted by Skorgu at 1:31 PM on November 12, 2008


Ken Block and his Subaru at the DC Mountain Lab, a snowboard terrain park.

I'm terribly disappointed he never tried to boardslide the car, but I suppose he is, too.
posted by loquacious at 1:34 PM on November 12, 2008


Holy Shit, clearly! I did not know they let you take your car on the mountain. That looks like so much more fun than skiing. The next time I go to Colorado for a ski trip, fuck renting sticks, I'm bustin' out my Matrix. If I show up on the wrong day, (you know, like skis only on Tuesday, boards only on Wednesday, cars only on Thursday), well fuck them. It doesn't look like the ski patrol would be equipped to deal with a fucking car driving on the mountain.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 1:35 PM on November 12, 2008


When I think of gymkhana, I only think of scooters. It's a scooter rally tradition, often undertaken by a drunk, naked fellow.
posted by sadiehawkinstein at 2:59 PM on November 12, 2008


And this is why I don't care if you like F1 or Nascar or whatever; rally car racing is as good as it gets. All racing cars should be four-wheel drive.
posted by davejay at 3:01 PM on November 12, 2008


My favorite part was the part where the sign was like "SPEED LIMIT: 5 MPH" and but like, you could totally tell the dude was going like way faster than that much.
posted by Eideteker at 3:01 PM on November 12, 2008 [3 favorites]


"He's drifting way too hard!"
posted by The Tensor at 3:54 PM on November 12, 2008 [4 favorites]


Wow, he seriously needs some better tires - that car was slipping and sliding all over the place! So much so that he usually only managed to avoid the obstacles by inches!

No, I'm not serious :-)
posted by -harlequin- at 4:38 PM on November 12, 2008


Haikeeba! Gymkhana!

yes, i know it's "gymkata"
posted by DecemberBoy at 4:58 PM on November 12, 2008


When the back of the car was cuddling up to the K-rail I was convinced he'd pull away and it would come loose. Nup, just a scuff.

The almost-precision control he has over the slides is great to watch when they let you watch it...Top Gear that wasn't.

In the end, though, I'm left feeling the same as filthy light thief.
posted by batmonkey at 6:18 PM on November 12, 2008


Awesome driving, shitty production. Can't win em all, I suppose.
posted by ZakDaddy at 7:26 PM on November 12, 2008


Blacked out again,
woke up in a car that was tokyo drifting everywhere.
The driver was a punisher,
a punisher of eyes.
She whistled a John Cage song and started asking me about wolves' balls.
She presented a flask and I took an oblivion seeking slurp.
Immediately, the potion made me want to fuck stuff I never wanted to fuck before.
Namely her.

--
posted by kickback at 7:45 PM on November 12, 2008 [2 favorites]


Ghostrider would smoke that chump.
posted by Flex1970 at 8:03 PM on November 12, 2008


parallel parking was never so much fun before!
posted by not_on_display at 9:17 PM on November 12, 2008


That's not gymkhana, that's an obstacle course. THIS is gymkhana.
And, oh, yes, I've always been terribly jealous of Ken Block.
posted by BarnacleKB at 11:22 AM on November 13, 2008


Can I get an MP3 of that soundtrack? That boxer rumble is why I love Subaru.
posted by subaruwrx at 3:59 PM on November 13, 2008




« Older The Complicated Relationship Between Bailarinas...   |   What happens when the Big One hits? Newer »


This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments