I think I read somewhere that he promised someone he wouldn't do it and kept that promise.  If that's the case then you have to respect his integrity but you have to wonder how he would have done.  I suspect he would have been a multiple winner.

Just think how it might have been in the late 70s to mid 80s to have had a TT grid with Joey vs Ray plus the other (significant) stars of the day.  Add to that how stunning would it have been but for the losses of the likes of Norman Brown and Mervyn Robinson.