Gymkhana Grid to Be the Next Big Motorsport Series

After a series of Gymkhana Practice videos that managed to catch the eye of some 70 million viewers, and a few failed attempts in the World Rally Championship, Ken Block is at it again, this time trying to reenact Europe's famous Race of Champions.

Block will be racing head to head with some of his professional racing friends on a purpose-built track. Founded by Christopher Willard, the Gymkhana Grid series seeks to be more than just a one-off event. The series will be kicked off with a grassroots event on August 7-8 in Hollywood Park, California and will feature amateur and pro racers competing head to head. Willard, who had co-founded the Redline Time Attack series, sought Block's expertise on course design as well as overall rules and regulations. Workshops and schools will help grow the awareness of gymkhana as a sport.

The first Gymkhana Grid Ken Block Invitational will kick off at Irwindale Speedway in Irwindale, California on December 3-4. Among competitors will be racing stars Travis Pastrana and Dave Mirra, drifters Vaughn Gittin Jr and Top Gear USA's Tanner Foust, going head to head on a demanding course.

This event will be the first of its kind, promising to provide competitors with a new and exciting racing format, and give spectators a true tire-smoking, sideways-sliding race.

The sport of gymkhana is relatively unknown, with a niche following in countries like Japan and England. The event introduces much bigger courses designed for high-powered cars and versatile drivers. Hopefully they will be able to withstand the difficulty of the course and provide a spectacular show.