20 Aug 12

WRC Academy
stars learn
from Block

The current FIA WRC Academy intake will continue their quest for success on ADAC Rallye Deutschland this week armed with vital skills in social media and public relations following a training session with Ken Block earlier this month.

Block, the star of the Gymkhana online movies who completed his three-event FIA World Rally Championship stint on Neste Oil Rally Finland earlier this month, gave a talk to rallying’s rising talents on several subjects including self-promotion and obtaining and maintaining sponsors.

“I’m always stoked to be able to talk to the WRC Academy students,” said Block. “They’re the future of our sport and any sort of knowledge I can help pass along to them in regards to bringing in sponsors and marketing themselves, the better. The more visible they become, the better they help not only themselves, but the entire rally community.”

American WRC Academy runner Chris Duplessis, who has elected not to include Rallye Deutschland on his schedule this season, attended Block’s masterclass in Finland. He said it had been extremely useful.

“Ken talked a lot about marketing and how best to promote yourself which is something all of us in the WRC Academy could use more help with at this point in our careers,” said Duplessis. “Some of the best advice he gave was to think outside the box. We are all here to go rallying, but sometimes you need to offer a little extra and branch out into all sorts of other areas - just like Ken.”