American rally driver Ken Block, a YouTube star best known for his spectacular driving demonstrations in urban settings, was killed while driving a snowmobile in Utah, his sports team said on Monday.
“It is with our deepest regret that we can confirm that Ken Block died in a snowmobile accident,” Hoonigan’s racing department said on its website.
“Ken Block was driving a snowmobile up a steep hill when the vehicle overturned and landed on him. His death was declared on the spot,” the local sheriff’s office said on Facebook.
Block, 55, who co-founded shoe brand DC Shoes in 1994, began his career as a rally driver after his company was sold 10 years later and was never really part of the sport’s elite.
He was best known for posting a series of videos on YouTube in which he drives rally cars and performs stunts on dangerous tracks and obstacle courses.
According to US sports broadcaster ESPN, his videos have been viewed over a billion times and his YouTube channel Hoonigan has become the most popular in motorsport history.