Ken Block Defies Death While Drifting Across China's Most Dangerous Road
Block’s custom Hoonitruck performs nail-biting stunts in ‘Climbkahana TWO: Tianmen Mountain.’
Famed rally driver (and DC Shoes co-founder) Ken Block is well-regarded for his Gymkhana video series, which sees Block revving cars to blistering speeds as he hurtles through tiny streets and sharp turns across the globe. Block’s new video, Climbkhana TWO: 914hp Hoonitruck on China’s Most Dangerous Road; Tianmen Mountain, may top them all however, as he flies his 914 horsepower Ford F-150 Hoonitruck through the vicious curves of the deadly Tianmen Mountain Highway.
Hidden deep inside China, the Tianmen Mountain Highway stretches 6.7 miles through mountains, forests and cliffs, with plenty of tight corners barely barricaded by thin strips of guardrail. The road, located in Zhangjiajie, Hunan Province, actually inspired James Cameron’s Avatar with its lush foliage and organic terrain, but don’t be fooled by the beauty; it’s so dangerous that the road is not readily open to the public.
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“About five years ago, I found a photo on the internet of this crazy road made of multiple switch backs that actually crossed over itself,” Block said. “Before I even discovered where in the world it was, I knew we had to go film there. As we did more research, I realized we may have found the greatest road ever. It’s like a European tarmac rally stage – but turned up to 11.” Climbkhana TWO director Brian Scotto enthuses, “This road is amazing, but also very unforgiving, which ironically is its best attribute.”
The hefty Hoonitruck seems an incredibly unlikely match for the deadly twists, turns and dives, but Block’s impressive driving skills ensure that the massive automobile is able to narrowly slide its bulk across the unforgiving stretch. “The juxtaposition of this massive American pickup truck and that tiny road was just too perfect, even if it made it way harder and sketchier to for me to drive,” said Block.
Check out the video above, and in other news, there’s a replica Ford GT40 MKII being sold at auction, driven by Christian Bale for his latest film Ford V. Ferrari.
