Joined Oct 2006
3K Posts | 34+
Tar Heel State
Joined Feb 2007
11K Posts | 2K+
Tennessee
From what i have read,everyone in the paddock loved the guy,even other team riders.Everyone that has been intervieed has said exactly the same thing about the guy.He was as good a wrench as they come,he loved racing,he would help anyone,was as even keel as anyone they had ever seen.Here is what Ben Spies said
I was sad to hear about Merlyn Plumlee's passing. It always seems like it happens to the greatest people. We didn't have a super close relationship and I never got to work with him, but from day one, when anybody at all would knew who I was, Merlyn was behind me. Even before I'd won my first Superbike race or done anything, he was always there. I got to bicycle with him a couple of times and get to know him. He was a guy that I don't think anybody in our whole racing industry could say a bad word about him. Any time, even if I was racing his rider, even if I wasn't going for a win but maybe did something a little spectacular, or had to ride a little bit out of my comfort zone, or do something just a little bit different that I wasn't used to and pulled it off, as soon as I'd be back in the lounge sitting down, he was the first one to come up and say "Great job!" He was always there. When I started winning Superbike races, and when it came to the point where I smashed my hand at Virginia, he said, "Hey, everybody will remember this year when you won your first championship and had to ride through a broken hand your last four races."
I didn't get to see him a whole lot this year with the cancer situation. But it was a good deal that he was at the last race. I didn't get to see him hardly at all. I didn't even know he was there until after the Superbike race. I walked out of the press conference and had my head down, trying to hide and get back to my garage and congratulate all my guys. I had my head down because I probably had a huge grin on my face. But Merlyn was the first guy I saw out of the press conference.
I had my head down and I saw these feet jump in front of me. I looked up, and he said, "I can't say anything. I don't even have anything to tell you." He just gave me a huge hug. That was the last time I got to talk to Merlyn face to face.
I was sad to hear about Merlyn Plumlee's passing. It always seems like it happens to the greatest people. We didn't have a super close relationship and I never got to work with him, but from day one, when anybody at all would knew who I was, Merlyn was behind me. Even before I'd won my first Superbike race or done anything, he was always there. I got to bicycle with him a couple of times and get to know him. He was a guy that I don't think anybody in our whole racing industry could say a bad word about him. Any time, even if I was racing his rider, even if I wasn't going for a win but maybe did something a little spectacular, or had to ride a little bit out of my comfort zone, or do something just a little bit different that I wasn't used to and pulled it off, as soon as I'd be back in the lounge sitting down, he was the first one to come up and say "Great job!" He was always there. When I started winning Superbike races, and when it came to the point where I smashed my hand at Virginia, he said, "Hey, everybody will remember this year when you won your first championship and had to ride through a broken hand your last four races."
I didn't get to see him a whole lot this year with the cancer situation. But it was a good deal that he was at the last race. I didn't get to see him hardly at all. I didn't even know he was there until after the Superbike race. I walked out of the press conference and had my head down, trying to hide and get back to my garage and congratulate all my guys. I had my head down because I probably had a huge grin on my face. But Merlyn was the first guy I saw out of the press conference.
I had my head down and I saw these feet jump in front of me. I looked up, and he said, "I can't say anything. I don't even have anything to tell you." He just gave me a huge hug. That was the last time I got to talk to Merlyn face to face.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dazza @ Oct 31 2007, 05:39 AM) [snapback]97777[/snapback]<div class='quotemain'>
I must admit, I did not really he know of him, but condolences to his wife an family.
+1 r.i.p
I must admit, I did not really he know of him, but condolences to his wife an family.
+1 r.i.p
