Behind the Scenes of Ken Block and Hoonigan’s Climbkhana
Seven million views, 14,000 feet, 100 turns, one Ken Block. See how they did it.
Ken Block and the Hoonigan's released Climbkhana late last month, and as Block normally does he broke the internet. Climbkhana currently has amassed more than 7 million views. We have followed Block from back when he was testing his methanol-fueled 1,400 horsepower twin turbo V8 engined monster, the Hoonicorn V2 to when he released the feature video, but haven't you wondered how the internet gold was made? Today we have the answer.
Ken Block and his Hoonigan crew released a behind-the-scenes film showing how Climbkhana was made.
The video begins with Block providing some voice over on why Pikes Peak is important and why it was important to do Climbkhana there. The 14,000 feet of elevation, the 100 corners, the fact that it snows in August. Everything adds up to being one of the most challenging roads in the world. As Block says, Pikes Peak only technically gets raced on, no one comes and does what he does because it isn't what race cars do, but it is what he does.
Climbkhana was created with a true legend. Hoonigan co-founder and Climbkhana co-director Brian Scotto called up Pikes Peak legend Jeff Zwart to help co-direct Climbkhana. Zwart directs television commercials when he is not thrashing Porsches, so he was up to the task.
Watching the video, you get to learn things you would not see in Climbkhana. For example, for recon between shoots, Block used a Focus RS and took the corners at speed to better judge what he could do in the Hoonicorn. You also see the horrible infamous weather changes you have to deal with on the mountain, like freak hail storms and tons of rain. Of course, the Hoonicorn is not immune to mechanical issues. The Hoonicorn crankcase was building to much pressure and as co-director Brian Scotto states it was "pissing oil out of any hole it can find."
Both directors, Scotto and Zwart, had only positive things to say about Block's work ethic and level of commitment for these types of films.
In the video, Block states that the stuff he did for Climbkhana was some of the sketchiest stuff he has ever done and his two wheels off at "Evo-corner" was the gnarliest moment in his career.
