Lia Block will continue to follow in her father’s footsteps by contesting the second-tier Nitrocross NEXT category at this weekend’s Visions off-road festival in Oklahoma.
The late rally driver’s eldest child has already competed on the Nitrocross bill, racing in the short-lived Sierra Cars class – taking third place on her debut – and the side-by-side category over the last two seasons, but this will be the 16-year-old’s highest-profile rallycross foray to-date.
[lawrence-related id=328349]
“I’m so excited to compete in Nitrocross this season. I’ve gotten a taste of the intense, door-to-door action that Travis and Nitro Circus have cooked up, especially racing side-by-sides last year,” she said. “Now, I look forward to the challenge of stepping things up and battling in the NEXT class against other talent from around the world. This is a true dream come true, after watching my dad race rallycross from such a young age.”
Block will drive for Olsbergs MSE, a world-leading rallycross outfit that not only built the RX Lites car she will be racing in the single-make category, but a number of her father’s early Ford race cars, including the Gymkhana 3 Fiesta.
While best-known as a rally driver at both domestic and World level, Ken Block also competed in rallycross. He was a six-time winner in the Global Rallycross series, won on his only European Rallycross outing, and scored two podiums in the World Rallycross championship.
Lia meanwhile has been making waves in the American Rally Association National series this year, driving a Subaru BRZ alongside Rhianon Gelsomino in the Open two-wheel-drive class. After taking second in class at the season-opening Rally in the 100 Acre Wood, she’s taken three consecutive class wins at the Olympus Rally, Oregon Trail Rally, and Southern Ohio Forest Rally.
Lia will also demonstrate her father’s ‘Hoonipigasus’ Porsche at this year’s Pikes Peak International Hillclimb, while her mother Lucy will compete in a Sierra Echo EV.