SEMA 2023: Epic 43-Car Burnout Tribute Honors Stunt Legend Ken Block
SEMA 2023 Pays Jaw-Dropping Tribute to Ken Block with 43-Car Burnout!
At the 2023 SEMA festival, a collection of 43 cars performed a burnout tribute to the late stunt legend Ken Block, known for his jaw-dropping Hoonigan drift performances, who sadly passed away at the age of 55 following a snowmobile accident earlier this year.
Key Takeaways:
- A tribute to Ken Block, the legendary stunt driver known for his Hoonigan drift performances, was held at the 2023 SEMA festival. Block’s signature number, “43,” was featured on all his cars, leading to a 43-car burnout tribute in his honor. The FIA even retired the number 43 for the entire 2023 season to pay respects.
- The Luxifer YouTube channel contributed a neon-green Toyota Hilux specially designed for burnouts with a 1,300-horsepower LS engine swap.
- The tribute event included various activities such as drifting with obstacles like a vertically-mounted plane, car jumping exhibitions, and more burnouts, featuring vehicles like Hoonicorn-Block’s 1,400-horsepower Mustang.
If you’re wondering why the tribute specifically involved 43 cars, it’s because Block used the number “43” on all of his vehicles with Hoonigan Racing Division, including his famous Gymkhana cars. As a mark of respect, the FIA retired the number 43 for the entirety of the 2023 season.
The Luxifer YouTube channel, based in Australia, contributed to the event with their creation named “Luxifer,” a neon-green Toyota Hilux specially designed for burnouts, equipped with a powerful 1,300-horsepower LS engine swap.
Some of the vehicles that joined the 43-car burnout tribute included a couple of Ford Mustangs, a trophy truck, Travis Pastrana’s Subaru GL Wagon, various BMWs, and a few others.
On the first night of the SEMA festival, a burnout session was organized. Throughout the day, there were thrilling car-focused activities, including drift challenges featuring obstacles such as a vertically mounted plane and various construction machines. They even staged a show with a Kubota skid steer balancing on its rear wheels while a Chevy Corvette performed donuts around it.
The daytime activities also featured a car jumping exhibition, along with additional burnouts. One of the standout attractions was Block’s renowned Hoonicorn—a 1,400-horsepower Mustang that can outpace a Tesla Model S Plaid in a straight line and perform all-wheel drive burnouts.
What better way could there be to pay tribute to a legend who made significant contributions to the motorsport scene, raised several benchmarks, and probably lived on rubber smoke? He would have been more than happy to witness the scale of such a spectacle.
In Summary: SEMA 2023 showcased an incredible 43-car burnout tribute in honor of the legendary Ken Block, known for his Hoonigan drift performances. The event featured thrilling stunts, a specially designed neon-green Toyota Hilux, and the retirement of Block’s signature number “43” by the FIA for the 2023 season.
