- published: 16 Jul 2010
- views: 5392629
Tanner Foust (born June 13, 1973) is a professional racing driver, stunt driver, and television host. He competes in rally, drift, ice racing, time attack and rallycross with multiple podium placements, national championships, and world records. He is a co-host on the American version of the motoring television series, Top Gear.
Growing up in a naval family, Foust spent several years as a child in Scotland, where he discovered rally racing and learned to drive on the country roads near his home. He returned to the United States and went into a pre-med track at the University of Colorado, earning a biology degree. He spent his summers at the track, trading seat time in racecars for mechanic work and driver coaching jobs. After college, he began working as an ice driving coach, an instructor at automotive marketing events and competing in anything he could, including rally and drifting. He made the transition to professional racing in 2003, and soon moved to California to begin stunt driving for Hollywood films. With his passion for cars, he has rapidly became one of the busiest professional drivers in the United States. He considers himself fortunate that, in just over ten years of professional racing, he has had the opportunity to compete against the likes of Rod Millen, Colin McRae, Michael Schumacher, Jenson Button and Sebastian Vettel.
Kenneth "Ken" Block (born November 21, 1967) is a professional rally driver with the Hoonigan Racing Division, formerly known as the Monster World Rally Team. Block is also one of the co-founders of DC Shoes. Block has also competed in many action sports events including skateboarding, snowboarding, and motocross. Since selling his ownership of DC Shoes, Block has shifted his business focus to Hoonigan Industries, an apparel brand for auto enthusiasts. He is currently the co-owner and Head Hoonigan In Charge (HHIC) at the company.
In 2005, Block began his National rallying career with the Vermont SportsCar team. Vermont SportsCar prepared a 2005 Subaru WRX STi for Block to compete. His first event of the rallying season was Sno*Drift, where he ended up finishing seventh overall and fifth in the Group N class. During the 2005 season, Block had five top five finishes and placed third overall in the Group A class and fourth overall in the Rally America National Championship. At the end of his first rallying year, Ken Block had won the Rally America Rookie of the Year award.