Ken Block’s Hoonigan has merged with aftermarket wheel company Wheel Pros, the companies announced Thursday. Block and other Hoonigan executives will remain with the new entity, according to a Wheel Pros press release.
Founded in 1995, Wheel Pros is the umbrella for a number of brands, including American Racing, Black Rhino, Fuel Off-Road, KMC, and Rotiform. Hoonigan is the corporate embodiment of Ken Block’s brand, producing the Gymkhana videos, marketing merchandise, and running his race teams. The financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, but Wheel Pros turned to Clearlake Capital Group for backing.
The move helps Wheel Pros reach a different audience and gives Hoonigan the resources to expand its brand and business. “We are excited to partner with Ken, Brian, Jennifer and the broader Hoonigan team to build a leading digital enterprise that speaks to an attractive demographic and allows passionate consumers to fully embrace their automotive lifestyle,” said Randy White, Co-Founder and CEO of Wheel Pros.
Block said in a statement: “This relationship will help make even the most ambitious goals a possibility. We couldn’t be more thrilled about this combination, as we will now be able to accelerate many of our plans to provide Hoonigan fans with more ways to pursue their passion, from engaging in even more new content and live events to customizing their vehicles.”
The two companies had partnered once before. Last year, Block unveiled his own wheel designs with Fuel Off-Road (for trucks and UTVs) and Rotiform (for street and rally cars), outfitting his entire fleet of vehicles with them.
That fleet recently saw some turnover, as Block ended his exclusive partnership with Ford, and auctioned off some of the Blue Oval machinery, including the 1977 Ford F-150 “Hoonitruck” and a handful of Fiesta rally cars from previous Gymkhana videos.
Block still has some Ford vehicles in his garage, including a rally-prepped Escort RS Cosworth, but he’s also added some other makes to the mix.
After testing out a Skoda rally car, Block commissioned a new Subaru WRX STI rally car, which he’s been racing in the Rally America series. Block started out with Subaru, making his rally debut with the brand in 2005, and driving earlier WRX STI rally cars in the first two Gymkhana videos. So it’s been a homecoming of sorts.