When Roger Turgeon let loose with a laugh, there was no escaping it.
Turgeon's warbling cackle would soar across the open air of the race track and compete for attention with the din of revving engines and squealing of tires. If he was indoors, celebrating one of his many victories at PGARA Speedway Park, his distinctive outburst of glee would blast through walls like they weren't even there.
"Fun-loving is a good description of him," said PGARA president Chris Arronge, who grew up around Turgeon and maintained a friendship with him into adulthood. "The biggest thing I remember as a kid is, you'd be at a party and all the adults would be in the party room and the kids would be playing and stuff but you could always hear when Roger would laugh. They nicknamed him 'Turkey' because his laugh was something like a big giant turkey. All the kids would stop -- 'Oh, Roger's laughing.'"
Turgeon's happy howl will reside permanently in the memories of all who knew him. Sadly, it was silenced on Jan. 25, when he died of natural causes at the age of 62.
As a PGARA driver, board member and president, Turgeon was a big wheel on the local auto racing scene. PGARA, and racing in general, were his passions. Even after he had to have a leg amputated, he raced one more season before he finally put away his driver's helmet.
PRAIRIE BOY
Turgeon was raised in Saskatchewan and moved to Prince George in the mid-1960s. He was always a car guy. In fact, his love of cars led him to meet Corrine Kuchuiran in 1972. Six years later, she became his wife.
"We met at Spruceland Chrysler," Corrine said. "Roger worked in the parts there and I took the car down there one day and they told me they had a guy to give me a ride home and he just never left."
Turgeon was already a PGARA driver when he and Corrine met. And he was an awfully good one at that.
"I remember as a kid that you'd go to the races and he'd be the guy that would always win," said Arronge, whose dad, fellow driver Steve, was one of Turgeon's close friends. "He was the big dog out there that, if you were betting quarters, he'd be the guy you'd want [as your] first choice. We used to bet quarters. We'd get three bucks for our lunch for the day. We'd grab a burger and a pop and then bet the rest of the quarters. If you did good, you got to buy some candy and stuff afterwards."
CRAFTY BEHIND THE WHEEL
Turgeon didn't believe in driving "junk," so he always raced in PGARA's top classes. As a super stock and hobby stock pilot, he claimed multiple season championships in his immaculate-looking rides. He raced cleanly and always seemed to find ways to get to the front of the pack.
"He was pretty crafty," said local driver and friend Bob Williams. "He wouldn't take any guff from anybody but he didn't go out looking for it either. He was a good example for a lot of guys to follow. He was really hard to pass. They used to call him a groove-and-a-halfer because he'd go in just a little bit wide on that low groove and it made passing in the second groove really tough. If he had a lesser car, he could still beat you with it, just with his talent."
On the administrative side, Turgeon was on the PGARA board of directors, on and off, from 1974 forward. He served as president in 1997, 1998 and 1999 and made it his mission to get the organization on solid financial ground through improved gate practices and sponsorship dollars.
HEALTH CONCERNS, BUT STILL ON TRACK
By 1999, Turgeon was battling health problems, specifically shooting pains in his left leg. He was diagnosed with blocked arteries and underwent a bypass operation in 2002. In December of 2003, he was supposed to have another bypass but, instead, his left leg was amputated below the knee. Unfortunately, the leg didn't heal properly and became infected. So, in March of that year, doctors amputated above his knee.
One day, while Turgeon was still recovering in hospital, he got a visit from family friend Steven Duchnych, who told him, 'Roger, we're going to go racing.'
Later, with Turgeon supervising, Duchnych and others modified Turgeon's WESCAR stock car so that it had a hand-operated clutch and foot pedals that were closer together.
Before Turgeon knew it, he had a full crew at his disposal, including Duchnych, Rob Ritchie, Huey Ridgers, Steve Landry and John Farella. At the WESCAR Competition Automotive 100, held at PGARA in mid-May of 2003, Turgeon started and finished in 16th place in the main event.
Turgeon was never one to be satisfied with anything but victory, but being back on the race track in his familiar No. 26 car did put a smile on his face.
"It was tough to get used to but I had a lot of fun," he told Citizen sports reporter Ted Clarke after the race. "I didn't think I'd ever be doing this again. I'm just happy with the crew I have because without all these guys here this wouldn't be possible."
Turgeon drove in the one WESCAR season and did take the checkered flag in a heat race. But, according to Corrine, he didn't like the fact he couldn't stick with the top guys.
"He didn't believe in racing unless you could win," she said. "He couldn't understand why somebody would go out there and finish last all the time -- he couldn't handle that."
PGARA WILL REMEMBER
In 2005, Turgeon suffered a huge blow when the same blood flow problems resulted in the amputation of his right leg. His recovery was extremely difficult and his pain never completely went away.
"I watched him the last two years just going down hill," Corrine said. "It got to the point where you couldn't talk to him. He'd fall asleep on you when you were talking to him. He'd sit at the table and his head would be on the table -- sound asleep. They say that has to do with the morphine and the gabapentin. Maybe it was a little bit of pain too."
All the stresses on Turgeon's body finally wore him out. He passed away, in his home, with his racing memorabilia all around him.
This spring, PGARA will enter its 60th anniversary season. Opening day is May 12. Arronge is already planning a tribute to Turgeon.
"We're going to do something special for Roger," he said.
"He was definitely one of the legends of PGARA."
