Think of the big names in sports or music who have left an indelible mark on Quebec society; If we want to absolutely identify a great figure in the automotive industry in Quebec, Jacques Duvall is the first name we stop at, read, heard, known, worked with and above all enjoyed.
A former racing driver, broadcaster, journalist and automobile columnist, Mr. Duvall died on February 6 after a long illness. He is 89 years old.
His family announced this in a press release on Thursday.
Recognized and respected by both the automobile industry and the general public, he has long been an indispensable reference in automotive matters in Quebec, but he has distinguished himself in many fields during his long career.
“Jacques Duvall, he's Maurice Richard, he's Gilles Villeneuve, he's the Félix Leclerc of the automobile,” compares former racing driver Bertrand Godin, who was able to rub shoulders with him during press trips, esp.
“If people are passionate about cars and we have such a passionate culture, Jacques Duvall is responsible. Take the wheel (of the show), with Car Guide, he really spread passion and interest in automobiles. He's an icon, a great man, and we can only salute his work.” . »
Mr. Duval's death brought back precious memories for auto columnist Mark Lachapelle, who had collaborated with him on AutoGuide since 1982.
“I owe it to Jack Duval because he both encouraged me and believed in me. I was a young journalist and he let me go, and it was great, and ultimately our business. We got along well,” he said.
Mark LaChapelle is remembered as a man who was passionate and meticulous from every point of view.
“He worked hard. I saw him visibly exhausted at the end of the guide writing period. He was a perfectionist in front of the cameras and behind the keyboard. He gave his all with an admirable concern for the French language. By understanding that we could talk about automobiles with precision, style and skill, the true 20th century In the century, Quebecers brought us to the real 20th century. »
“It's not that complicated; to me, he said, Jack Duvall is like the Beatles and Beau Tormé. They're events, the right people at the right time with the right skills, the right skills, and the hint of inspiration it takes to do great things. And he did great things in the automotive industry.”
Champion Driver
Born in Lévis in 1934, Jacques Duvall began as an announcer and presenter at the age of 16, first on radio, CKVC (Québec) and CKVL (Verdun), then at Télé-Métropole, where he notably developed the concept. The disc was Graveyard, later picked up by Claude Rajot at Music Plus.
Interested in automobiles, he soon established himself as a driver and then a renowned columnist. As a driver, he won the Quebec championship five times between 1964 and 1971, most notably the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières in 1967.
In 1971, he won the GT class at the 24 Hours of Daytona, becoming the first Canadian to win internationally and paving the way for many Quebec drivers to win on the international stage.
His passion for automobiles led him to propose a weekly series on automobiles to Radio-Canada, which became Take the Wheel, which he hosted for eight seasons from 1966 to 1974. At the same time, he founded and in 1967 published Le Guide de l'auto, which became an annual bestseller in Quebec and the bedside book of all automobile enthusiasts in Quebec.
He was an automobile columnist at La Presse for about fifteen years and edited Le Guide de l'auto for 37 years until 2004 (except for a gap of a few years working at Ford), before returning there as a contributor between 2013 and 2015.
He has also hosted shows on Radio-Canada, TVA (where, with Michael Barrett, he revived Take the Wheel in 2000), as well as Canal Vox and Aviation. Over the years, his outspokenness has been both feared and admired by automobile manufacturers.
Both as a presenter and automobile columnist throughout his career, Jacques Duvall has always been an ardent defender of the French language, first on radio and television, as a promoter of Quebec singers and singers, then as an automobile columnist, he was authentic. Pioneering, especially by establishing new standards of franchising in automotive language. His influence on the French in the automobile industry is often compared to that of René Lecavalier in hockey.
A recipient of numerous honours, he is one of the inductees into Canada's Motorsport Hall of Fame. In 2011, the Government of Quebec awarded him the Georges-Emile Lapalme Prize for his remarkable work and the exceptional quality of his contribution to the cultural development of Quebec society. He published his autobiography in 2006.
In addition to his colleagues and friends, Jacques Duval leaves to mourn his partner Suzanne Charest and his three children Brigitte, Pierre and François, and his five grandchildren.
Mr. At Duvall's request, his family wishes for a discreet funeral and asks the media to respect this wish.
“Pop culture practitioner. Award-winning tv junkie. Creator. Devoted food geek. Twitter lover. Beer enthusiast.”
