<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/motorsports/" rel="tag">Motorsports</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/hirings-firings/" rel="tag">Hirings/Firings/Layoffs</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/ford/" rel="tag">Ford</a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/79442"><img hspace="4" border="1" vspace="4" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/10/ken-block-subaru-monster.jpg" alt="" /></a></div>
<br />
One of the most significant deals in rally history. That's how news of Ken Block's imminent move to the World Rally Championship is being touted in the motorsport press. And we couldn't agree more.<br />
<br />
Now don't get us wrong. We enjoy watching Block's famous antics behind the wheel of his purpose-built Gymkhana Subaru Impreza as much as the next guy. Probably more. But we can't help but feel that the superstar's otherworldly car control skills couldn't be put to better use than pure showboating. And this deal could give him exactly that opportunity, graduating from the relatively low-visibility Rally America series to the top-tier WRC.<br />
<br />
Since Subaru, for whom Block competes in the USA, pulled out of the WRC, Ken's been hunting for another ride in the premier series, and reports now indicate that he - along with former Subaru driver Chris Atkinson - will be driving the 2009-spec Ford Focus WRC for the new Monster Energy Drink World Rally Team (which could, incidentally, go some way towards explaining <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/14/video-ken-block-chris-atkinson-test-out-their-rear-drive-chops/">what the two rally stars were doing behind the wheel of that old Ford Escort</a>). Once the details are hammered out, both Block and Atkinson are expected to start next season in select rounds of the championship before challenging the full calendar the year after, presumably behind the wheel of <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/02/spy-shots-first-images-of-ford-fiesta-s2000-rally-car/">the new rally-spec Fiesta</a>.<br />
<br />
[Source: <a href="http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/79442">Autosport</a>]<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/15/report-ken-block-heading-to-wrc-with-new-monster-ford-team/">REPORT: Ken Block heading to WRC with new Monster Ford team</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:20:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/79442>Read</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/15/report-ken-block-heading-to-wrc-with-new-monster-ford-team/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19197127/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/15/report-ken-block-heading-to-wrc-with-new-monster-ford-team/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>
More...
<br />
One of the most significant deals in rally history. That's how news of Ken Block's imminent move to the World Rally Championship is being touted in the motorsport press. And we couldn't agree more.<br />
<br />
Now don't get us wrong. We enjoy watching Block's famous antics behind the wheel of his purpose-built Gymkhana Subaru Impreza as much as the next guy. Probably more. But we can't help but feel that the superstar's otherworldly car control skills couldn't be put to better use than pure showboating. And this deal could give him exactly that opportunity, graduating from the relatively low-visibility Rally America series to the top-tier WRC.<br />
<br />
Since Subaru, for whom Block competes in the USA, pulled out of the WRC, Ken's been hunting for another ride in the premier series, and reports now indicate that he - along with former Subaru driver Chris Atkinson - will be driving the 2009-spec Ford Focus WRC for the new Monster Energy Drink World Rally Team (which could, incidentally, go some way towards explaining <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/14/video-ken-block-chris-atkinson-test-out-their-rear-drive-chops/">what the two rally stars were doing behind the wheel of that old Ford Escort</a>). Once the details are hammered out, both Block and Atkinson are expected to start next season in select rounds of the championship before challenging the full calendar the year after, presumably behind the wheel of <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/02/spy-shots-first-images-of-ford-fiesta-s2000-rally-car/">the new rally-spec Fiesta</a>.<br />
<br />
[Source: <a href="http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/79442">Autosport</a>]<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/15/report-ken-block-heading-to-wrc-with-new-monster-ford-team/">REPORT: Ken Block heading to WRC with new Monster Ford team</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:20:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/79442>Read</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/15/report-ken-block-heading-to-wrc-with-new-monster-ford-team/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19197127/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/15/report-ken-block-heading-to-wrc-with-new-monster-ford-team/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>
More...