Ken Block lined up for WRC campaign ?

[Weasel 555]

American rally and extreme sports star Ken Block is close to a deal to join the World Rally Championship in a new Ford team, this week's AUTOSPORT magazine reveals.

Former Subaru driver Chris Atkinson has been lined up as Block's team-mate in the all-new Monster Energy Drink World Rally Team.

The three-year deal, which is likely to be agreed in the next month, would offer the World Rally Championship the chance to break into the all important North American market - a move seen as pivotal to the sport's development.

The deal, which is being brokered by Block's management team Wasserman Media Group, is reckoned to be one of the most significant in the sport's history.

WRC promoter Simon Long said: "Ken Block is an iconic figure in US motorsport and a major box office personality. It wouldn't get much better than this for the WRC going into North America."

Block is driving for the Monster-backed Subaru USA team in Rally America this season, but has never denied his ambition to compete at the highest level of the WRC.

If it is signed off, the programme will start next season. Block and Atkinson will contest around half of the WRC rounds in 2009-spec Ford Focus WRCs. The following year they would compete in the entire series.

from Autosport.com News

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[WRXelent]

I think that would be too!

[Price is right]

nooooooo ken block in a ford... the worlds comming to an end

[EnzoG]

nooooooo ken block in a ford... the worlds comming to an end

whatever it takes for WRC to be on tv here and get good coverage

[Price is right]

that WOULD be nice but still... a ford???

[Tinywagon]

yeah he's in a ford but maybe his involvement will give enough credibility to the WRC where it'll be shown in the USA. And maybe by that time Subaru will decide to rejoin the WRC and Ken Block will be all "Hey look, a Subaru, I wanna drive one of those again!" and all will be right with the world.

...could happen.

[Price is right]

lol i hope so

[Tinywagon]

all I'm saying, is that the power of positive thinking is about all we've got.

Subaru's the only one making money right now, so maybe they'll get their act back in the WRC.

I'm just lucky I got a Subaru World Rally Team flag before they dissolved the team.

[wrx-boy1]

YES...atta boy Block. Bring the WRC back to our TV waves...FINALLY!!

[Dim3s]

hell has almost frozen over twice

first brett farve to vikings

second possibly block going suby to ford =[

[lil al]

that would be sick for suby to come back. but in the meantime WRC does get air'd on HD theatre channel 225 for comcast. its simply labled as auto racing. sundays 8pm

[Lt.Dan]

I would have thought he would want to win the Rally America series before he went on to WRC. Pastrana would be my more likely choice, but those two teamed would be even better.

[mangostick]

you guys are knockin the focus rs pretty hard.. any of you know anything about it? If not, you may want to check it out. Unfortunately Ford will never bring its euro tooling to the states.

2009 Ford Focus RS Details Officially Official, Green Machine Lives - 09 Focus RS - Jalopnik

thats just the production model, I'm sure in wrc trim its a nasty little beast.

Besides, I'm sure Block will epically destroy a few of them lol

[yamaha_rider619]

Looks like they just make a replica of the nwe evo and slapped a ford embled on it. Glad to have WRC in the states but why does it have to be with ford? Thats just terrible!

[mycologist]

Looks like they just make a replica of the nwe evo and slapped a ford embled on it. Glad to have WRC in the states but why does it have to be with ford? Thats just terrible!

Most people would put the escort in the top few of best all time rally cars or at least the RS200.

What is so tragic about having an American driver in an American car anyways?