A driving discipline where drivers navigate a tight course with specific maneuvers (donuts, slides, reverses). Made famous by Ken Block.
Gymkhana is a driving discipline where drivers navigate a tight course while performing specific maneuvers like donuts, controlled slides, reverse parking, and various other car-control challenges. The format emphasizes technical car control and showmanship rather than just outright speed. The sport originated in motorcycle riding and was adapted to cars in the 1990s.
Modern gymkhana grew significantly with Ken Block Gymkhana video series (starting 2008), which combined gymkhana driving with cinematic production. The videos featured Block driving Subaru and Ford rally-prepared cars through elaborate courses involving stunt elements (jumping over obstacles, drifting around helicopters, performing donuts on rooftops). The series brought gymkhana to mainstream audiences worldwide.
Competitive gymkhana exists in various forms. The American GymkhanaGRID series (created by Block) and the Japanese D1 Gymkhana series have organized formal competition. Modern gymkhana courses include slalom sections, donut requirements, reverse maneuvers, and timed sections. The cars used range from rally-prepared all-wheel drive vehicles to rear-drive cars suited to drift-style maneuvers.