I interviewed former Suzuki Racing exec Merv Wright at Laguna Seca Raceway in 2013. Wright oversaw the Suzuki Grand Prix team for a number of years, and was close to both the late Pat Hennen and his brother/manager Chip Hennen.

I asked Wright about the circumstances that led to Hennen racing at the Isle of Man that fateful year. After mulling his answer for a moment and stating that his answer was not going to be popular in some corners of the UK, Wright said the following.

"Pat was a good person and a very loyal to Suzuki person. I can't prove it, but I think Pat slept in Suzuki pajamas at night. He was very helpful whereas Barry (Sheene) was not (as helpful). We fought with Barry all the time because he would always be putting his personal sponsor decals on the bike and that was never his right. Anyway, Pat didn't want to do the Isle of Man race and it was in his contract that he did not have to race it."

"Some people aren't going to like what I say next, but the sales director at Suzuki (GB) insisted that he do it. If not, he was going to suffer. The sales director told Chip and Pat that Pat was going to race the Isle of Man or else he was going to lose his use of the transporter truck in Grand Prix. Chip was driving the truck to the races. The racing season had (already) started so to lose the truck was going to be a big problem. So, Pat said he would race the IOM TT and (the Hennens) kept the use of the truck."

"That was a bit nasty. I saw the man responsible at a funeral not long ago and I reminded him of what he'd done and told him he was a turd."

Wright continued, "Pat was well on his way to being the world champion that year."

Wright passed away in 2015.