American stunt driver and Subaru USA Rally America driver Ken Block (left) is close to getting the call to the big leagues. AutoSport is reporting that Block is close to a deal with Ford that would seem him driving in the World Rally Championship (WRC), the world’s premiere rally car racing series.

The deal will reportedly see Block keep his Monster Energy Drink sponsorship from his Subaru days as he drives for Ford with team mate Chris Atkinson – another former Subaru driver. With both Ford and Block on board, the WRC series, which is immensely popular overseas, finaly has a chance at real fame in the lucrative North American market.

WRC marketing expert Simon Long described Block, who’s two viral YouTube Gymkhana videos have received tens of millions of views, as “an iconic figure in US motorsport and a major box office personality.” He also went on to say that, “It wouldn’t get much better than this for the WRC going into North America.”

The deal is reported to go through next month and will see Block sign on with Ford for three seasons, starting next year.

[Source: AutoSport]

IMV+Films+Gymkhana+Practice+(SPOOF+VIDEO)

We haven’t laughed this hard in a while! The folks at IMV Films, known for illegal stunt drive movies like Vehicular Lunatics, have just released an amazing parody of the high-budget Ken Block Gymkhana video and this bit of cenematographic genious is anything but. While it might not be as visually stunning, it is outrageously funny, especially when the part where the team spoofs the paint-balling scene in Block’s second Gymkhana video opting instead to use a fake member of the Taliban and some roman candles. But we won’t ruin it for you… watch for yourself.

Unlike Block’s big-budget Subaru/Monster Energy Drink commercial, the team doesn’t use a fancy rally-prepped Subaru WRX STI, but rather a completely beat-up  Subaru 2.5 RS. The IMV team also didn’t bother to rent out a private facility, instead opting to do all their shenanigans on the open road, endangering not only their own lives but the lives of everyone around them.

We do not condone this behavior, but thanks for the laughs.

[Source: IMV Films and StreetFire.net]