Ken Block may no longer be with us – but his spirit never left rallying.
At every American Rally Association National championship event, the 43 Institute hands out a 43ever Tribute Award, honoring Block’s ‘just ain’t care’ and press-on regardless-attitude.
At Southern Ohio Forest Rally, there was one clear candidate to win the prize. But milling around parc exposé on Saturday morning in McArthur, you’d have struggled to guess which crew was the obvious pick.
Walking past the National frontrunners and diving into the Regional runners halfway up McArthur’s main street, a surprise was hidden inside the #159 Volkswagen Rabbit: two small dogs occupying the driver’s and co-driver’s seats. Outside the car, Matt McGee and Lauren Lambert looked relaxed ahead of the rally’s final day, happily drawing a crowd in thanks to the magnetic pull of their pups.
But as it became clear later in the day, the dogs were a distraction. The real story was once the humans had returned to the cockpit.
Crowd-pulling dogs vacated the VW Rabbit before the stages
McGee is one of the locals at Southern Ohio. Last September he was supposed to be competing on Boone Forests Rally – but instead he found himself in immense pain from both his back and leg.
Rally was put on pause. Imaging, steroid shots and even a visit to a neurosurgeon followed. He had to use a walker. But he kept going, kept pushing. Rally was waiting on the other side.
Fast forward to June 2024 and McGee had done more than just get back on the stages. He was victorious.
An entire year had passed since McGee had turned a wheel in anger and the reigning Regional L2WD winner drove like he’d never been away. On the 13 miles of Top Gun South Short he was untouchable, going half a minute faster than anyone else in his class.
Nine months on from his world being turned upside down, he’d put it the right way up again.
“I feel great, man,” said McGee has he pulled into the finish of the final stage.
That in itself could have been considered unexpected – whether he’d even be able to drive at all was uncertain heading into last weekend.
“Three weeks ago I had five masses removed from my neck along with my entire salivary gland; they cut fat out of my stomach to build that back up,” McGee explained. “So I couldn’t drive the car or even lift five pounds even two weeks ago.
“I couldn’t be happier. It’s been an experience. I didn’t know we were going to make it and we just won again. What else can you ask for?”
The old McGee ever leaving the building was unlikely – but based on co-driver Laurie’s reactions, any doubts that was the case were quickly dismissed.
Co-driver Laurie Lambert kept McGee on the straight and narrow
“She yelled at me a couple of times and told me to chill out once!” said McGee. “I made some noises in one of those turns because it felt really good. The last turn [of the rally] we slung it sideways there to have one more fun corner.”
When the crews returned to McArthur to celebrate a rally well done, there was little doubt who Block’s former navigator Alex Gelsimono would be presenting the award to.
“It’s an inspiration to keep going,” said Jeremiah Johnson, SOFR chairman. “Rally is near and dear to all of our hearts and sometimes we make decisions to go to a rally where we probably shouldn’t. But because of the love of the sport and the camaraderie, they’re out here.
“And, to be quite honest, they kicked butt.”
Johnson’s assessment was on point. And we’re sure Ken would agree.
