The iconic Roy Taghon Memorial Snowmobile Drag Race is canceled this year, according to race coordinator Soni Alysworth.
“The door is always open for doing it in the future,” Alysworth said. “Thank you to the Taghon family, the Leelanau County Emergency Management Plan (Matt Ansorge), the Department of Natural Resources, the Glen Lake Fire Department, the Empire Chamber of Commerce, and many more for being a part of it and helping me. ”
Alysworth, a notable local sled head, will be helping out at RPM Raceway, located northeast of Mancelona, during several races this season. The new raceway in Mancelona is laserleveled and has grooming capabilities, lights, and timing.
With three kids in school, it has become a heavy lift for Alysworth regarding paperwork, working with government entities, insurance, and more.
“Thank you to everybody who has helped out over the years. We will have talks in the future of having the drag race at the (Empire Township) airport again,” Alysworth said.
Roy Taghon was an Empire native who loved speed and was a true sled head. He passed away on Sunday, Jan. 2, 2018, during a snowmobile accident. Taghon was actively passionate about music, particularly his liturgical ministry, having played organ at St. Philip Neri in Empire, St. Rita in Maple City and Holy Rosary in Isadore.
He began playing organ at St. Philip at the age of 10, and performed his final Mass there before pursuing his other passion of snowmobiling, according to his obituary.
Roy’s father, Dave, passed away last week.
