Ken Block releases Gymkhana Eight, from Dubai (VIDEO) - MotorSportsTalk

The eighth installment of Ken Block’s Gymkhana series has been released late Monday night.

The video’s above, the details of which are below, via Hoonigan Racing Division:

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For the eighth installment in Ken Block’s 350+ million view Gymkhana viral video franchise, Block has taken his smoky, sideways driving style to his most exotic destination yet: Dubai!

Starring Block and an updated version of his world-famous Ford Fiesta ST RX43 rallycross car, Gymkhana EIGHT: Ultimate Exotic Playground; Dubai, is Block’s most cinematic film to-date. Block’s Fiesta also lights up the screen, literally, thanks to a unique, ultra reflective livery that was created specifically for Gymkhana EIGHT (Ultra Reflective Livery Reveal video here). It also marks only the second time in Gymkhana history that Block has filmed one of his videos outside of the United States, the first time being Gymkhana THREE when he visited a very unique racetrack in France.

“I realize it sounds cliché to say it, but this is probably my favorite Gymkhana thus far,” said Block. “When XDubai reached out to partner with me as a sponsor last season, one of the things they brought to the table was the ability for us to come and have carte blanche in terms of filming a Gymkhana video in Dubai. The offer was amazing since I had identified Dubai as a location where I’d like to film something a few years prior, so of course I jumped at the opportunity.

“The fact that we were able to shut down the Sheik Zayed Road for only the second time in the history of Dubai [the road is the main highway in Dubai and has only been fully shut down once previously, when President George W. Bush visited in 2008], have access to a fully shutdown airport runway with a 747 and to be able to film in Burj Park, which is part of the world’s tallest building [the Burj Khalifa] is absolutely awesome. Now would be a great time for me to be able to say a huge heartfelt thank you to the people of Dubai for letting us come and make this awesome video, so, thank you!”

Other features in the film include a Ford Raptor driving-on-two-wheels as an obstacle for Block, the entire Dubai Police Force’s Exotic Cars division on set at all times—and featured as an obstacle at one point—two Ford Performance-related “Easter Eggs,” within the video, a very special set of credits, and much, much more. Plus there’s even a special announcement and preview of a new project car for Ken at the absolute end.

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Media and fan attention focused on a controversial run-in between Haiden Deegan and his Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing teammate Jordon Smith during Round 10 of the Monster Energy Supercross race at Detroit, after which the 250 East points’ Hunter Lawrence defends the young rider in the postrace news conference.

Deegan took the early lead in Heat 1 of the round, but the mood swiftly changed when he became embroiled in a spirited battle with teammate Smith.

On Lap 3, Smith caught Deegan with a fast pass through the whoops. Smith briefly held the lead heading into a bowl turn but Deegan had the inside line and threw a block pass. In the next few turns, the action heated up until Smith eventually ran into the back of Deegan’s Yamaha and crashed.

One of the highlights of the battle seemed to include a moment when Deegan waited on Smith in order to throw a second block pass, adding fuel to the controversy.

After his initial crash, Smith fell to seventh on the next lap. He would crash twice more during the event, ultimately finishing four laps off the pace in 20th.

The topic was inevitably part of the postrace news conference.

“It was good racing; it was fun,” Deegan said at about the 27-minute mark in the video above. “I just had some fun doing it.”

Smith had more trouble in the Last Chance Qualifier. He stalled his bike in heavy traffic, worked his way into a battle for fourth with the checkers in sight, but crashed a few yards shy of the finish line and was credited with seventh. Smith earned zero points and fell to sixth in the standings.

Lawrence defends Deegan — *Jordon Smith failed to make the Detroit Supercross Main and fell to sixth in the points. – Feld Motor Sports*

“I think he’s like fifth in points,” Deegan said. “He’s a little out of it. Beside that it was good, I don’t know. I wasn’t really paying attention.”

Deegan jokingly deflected an earlier question with the response that he wasn’t paying attention during the incident.

“He’s my teammate, but he’s a veteran, he’s been in this sport for a while,” Deegan said. “I was up there just battling. I want to win as much as everybody else. It doesn’t matter if it’s a heat race or a main; I just want to win. I was just trying to push that.”

As Deegan and Smith battled, Jeremy Martin took the lead. Deegan finished second in the heat and backed up his performance with a solid third-place showing in the main, which was his second podium finish in a short six-race career. Deegan’s first podium was earned at Daytona, just two rounds ago.

But as Deegan struggled to find something meaningful to say, unsurprisingly for a 17-year-old rider who was not scheduled to run the full 250 schedule this year, it was the championship leader Lawrence who came to his defense.

“I just want to point something out, which kind of amazes me,” Lawrence said during the conference. “So many of the people on social media, where everyone puts their expertise in, are saying the racing back in the ’80s, the early 90s, when me were men. They’re always talking about how gnarly it was and then anytime a block pass or something happens now, everyone cries about it.

“That’s just a little bit interesting. Pick one. You want the gnarly block passes from 10 years ago and then you get it, everyone makes a big song and dance about it.”

Pressed further, Lawrence defended not only the pass but the decision-making process that gets employed lap after lap in a Supercross race.

“It’s easy to point the finger,” Lawrence said. “We’re out there making decisions in a split millisecond. People have all month to pay their phone bill and they still can’t do that on time.

“We’re making decisions at such a fast reaction [time with] adrenaline. … I’m not just saying it for me or Haiden. I speak for all the guys. No one is perfect and we’re under a microscope out there. The media is really quick to point a finger when someone makes a mistake.”

The media is required to hold athletes accountable for their actions. They are also required to tell the complete story.

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