Whilst many experts favoured a Sunbeam victory, no one could discount the ohc Velocettes, and with riders of the calibre of Freddie Hicks and Alec Bennett they were in with a very good chance. The race took place in excellent weather conditions and the Velocettes dominated proceedings with Handley giving them some stiff opposition.

Excellent conditions also attended the Senior race and some good racing was looked forward to by the large crowds around the course. Sunbeams were very much the favourites to do it again, though the Rudges were known to be very strong challengers and in no way could Norton be forgotten with jockeys Stanley Woods and Tim Hunt. The enthusiasts could see it would be a very open race and awaited the outcome with some excitement. Tyrell Smith took an early lead on the Rudge with Tim Hunt and Charlie Dodson in 2nd and 3rd places. This continued and by lap 4 Tyrell Smith had an advantage of more than 3 minutes over Hunt with Dodson a strong 3rd. Things soon changed when the Rudge teamster crashed heavily at Glen Helen to put Hunt on the Norton into the lead. Alec Bennett who had returned to the Marston fold was also going very well and catching up on Dodson in 3rd place. Problems began with the Norton and little Charlie went into first place with team mate Bennett second. Much interest now focussed on Tyrell Smith for he had got home again after his crash and was now really motoring.

When Tyrell Smith was examined at the finish it was found that as well as extensive leg injuries he had also suffered three cracked ribs in his accident at Glen Helen, so his was a really wonderful performance, riders were really tough in those days.

Whilst no doubt for his crash, the Rudge man could well have won the Coventry concerns first Senior since 1914, however it was the Sunbeam that won.

With Dodson winning and Alec Bennett 2nd the 3rd member of the team Arthur Simcock's took 7th place and this brought Sunbeam the Manufacturers Team Prize for the third year in succession. Another Sunbeam finished in 11th place and the only A.J.S. to complete the race, ridden by Frank Longman came 16th.

There was much rejoicing in Wolverhampton at the great Sunbeam victory and the Express & Star devoted three full columns of the then large format paper with a whole eight column headline.

Later a testimonial dinner was given to Charlie Dodson with managing director, A.S. Bowers presiding. The 1929 Senior T.T. had been great for Sunbeam. All enthusiasts hoped they would continue to do well and that A.J.S. would soon return to their T.T. winning ways.

We now return to the Isle of Man for the 1929 Amateur T.T. and to a by no means pleasing atmosphere. During the period since the previous year's race there had been a lot of ill feeling caused by certain riders being thought to have accepted unauthorised financial and material help. Despite the unpleasant undercurrent, obvious to many, two very good races seemed to be in prospect with an excellent entry for both.

Of the 34 entries for the Junior race, 4 would be riding Sunbeams and 3 A.J.S. Favourite to win was W. Meageen on his Rex Acme, although many also favoured a win by a Velocette rider. It seemed from the start that the later was correct for J. Hanson went off at a cracking pace aboard his Velo and took 1.5 minutes off the lap record from a standing start. Other Hall Green machines filled the next 4 places with Meageen down in 6th spot. On lap 5 the Manxman really turn the wick up on the Rex putting in a lap at 67.8m.p.h., which would prove to be the days' fastest. He now dead heated for 2nd place with A.S. Sikes and now came the drama. The leader Hanson had engine trouble and Meageen took the lead, then on the last lap the Rex's throttle cable came adrift, Meageen kept going, but at the very tricky Govenors Bridge, and almost within sight of the chequered flag the Manxman stalled the engine. Try as he would he could not restart it and started to push in. Such was his lead that he crossed the line to win by 12 seconds from E.N. Lea's Velocette with D.Z. de Ferranti of the famous electrical manufacturing concern in 3rd place, riding a New Henley. Now came a sensational decision. A protest against Meageen was laid saying that he had received outside assistance at Govenors Bridge and he was disqualified. This put Lea into first place and Ferranti second.

Charlie Dodson on a Sunbeam.

Happily the Senior would not suffer these problems, well not immediately, though events would follow that would bring the Amateur T.T. to an end.

Briefly, J.D. Potts riding a Grindlay Peerles won at an average speed of 66.25m.p.h. with E.N. Lea second on a Norton. The fastest lap fell to H.J. Bacon who took his Sunbeam round in 32 minutes 21 seconds, just short of the first Junior over 70 lap at 69.99m.p.h. whilst S. Lees and G. Rea were 6th and 7th on their Sunbeams. Two other Sunbeam riders were disqualified and none of the A.J.S. riders completed the course.

The remarks on the two other AJ men included Clarrie Wise, "sometimes rather wild but always able to get there". Leo Davenport is described as "a steady and determined rider, unruffled by emergencies and not afraid to foot when necessary". Leo of course was also an excellent road racer and his father Tom Davenport held a managerial post at the Graiseley Works.