Rally France: Ken Block earns Spirit of the Rally Award

INNOVATIVE KEN BLOCK SCOOPS ABU DHABI SPIRIT OF THE RALLY AWARD

Strasbourg, France. 4 October 2010: America's Ken Block has been recognised with the Abu Dhabi Spirit of the Rally Award for his contribution to the sport and his Monster World Rally Team achievements at a difficult Rallye de France.

The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority-instigated award was presented to Block for the unwavering determination shown to finish his first World Rally Championship (WRC) event outside of Superally, despite a host of technical problems that plagued the Monster World Rally Team throughout the three-day event, as well as his contribution to the development and spread of rally's popularity around the globe.

"This season has been such a huge learning experience, but we are getting quicker and I am so glad to have achieved a 12th place finish here in France and to get recognised by this award," said Block, who founded the cult shoe company DC.

Since joining the WRC in January 2010, Block and his team have introduced a fresh audience to the high octane action through their extensive use of digital media and social networking. The innovative team have introduced a new demographic of supporter to the sport of rally through the 'Gymkhana' series of trick videos hosted on youtube.com.

First released in 2008, the action packed vodcasts are uploaded onto youtube and show Block demonstrating the sheer skill involved in rally driving as he takes his Ford Focus through numerous unexpected obstacles at exciting global locations. The latest edition, 'Ultimate Playground', filmed in the l'Autodrome, France has been viewed a staggering 12 million times in only three weeks, and the series has in excess of 80 million views. The campaign is also expertly supported via networking sites Facebook and Twitter, where Block has over 600,000 followers.

The American, who only began rallying in 2005 after his DC brand sponsored a team in Rally America, continues to demonstrate both his potential within the sport and his ability to bring a fresh way of thinking into rally, proving himself a worthy recipient of the award.

Abu Dhabi Spirit of the Rally is presented at each round of the WRC to mark an outstanding feat of leadership, integrity, respect or teamwork.

-source: adta