Thursday 15th September 1949, records were again smashed, when G E Duke (Norton) won the Senior Manx Grand Prix. He completed the six laps of the 37 ¾-mile road circuit on the Isle of Man in the record Senior time of 2h 37m 50.3s (86.063mph).

Second was w A C McCandless (Beart prepared Norton) in 2h 38m 33.6s (85.683mph). Third man to finish was C Horn (Norton), who completed the course in 2h 44m 0.6s (82.834mph). On his second lap McCandless beat the 86.31mph Senior lap record put up by Ken Bills in 1938 on petrol-benzole: McCandless went round in 26m 0s (87.089mph). On the same lap Duke raised even that record higher by circling in 25m 53s (87.480mph). The race was held in fine weather and provided a brilliant duel between Duke and McCandless.

At the examination of machines on the day before, Duke had not weighed in until 9.30pm, owing it was said, to some difficulty with his clutch. But he had “made it” and was to race. Now, on Thursday morning, that was all that mattered so far as the many people who wished to see him ride were concerned!

There was a certain amount of mist on the Mountain at 10.00am, but the sun was shining on the grandstands – where the breeze was tugging at the flags and bunting in a direction opposite to that chosen by Tuesday’s rather high wind: today the direction was towards the rear of the grandstands.

It was 10,00am when the bomber squadron of riders thundered in procession up Glencrutchery Road to the pits. Owing to a puncture, Frank Cope (348 AJS) was late in arriving. Number of starters was 75, and ten teams were competing. The minutes ticked on, and the tang of racing oil was wafted up into the stands. His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor arrived, the National Anthem was played, and, a little later, at about 10.37, came a message from the Bungalow: visibility there, at the time, was perfect; farther up, the clouds seemed to be lifting; and on the Mountain there was not so much wind as on Tuesday. The Ronaldsway people then came through with their forecast: in spite of some cloud on high ground, visibility was likely to be good, one gathered, and the weather would be mainly fair with a light, 12 mph north-westerly wind. Travelling Marshals were optimistic. Conditions should be good for the riders, they said, in spite of a few patches of mist at present near the Stonebreaker’s Hut on the Mountain. Les Graham had to-day joined the Travelling Marshals and was on a 7R AJS. The others were as on Tuesday – Foster, Craine and Rowell.

At last the maroon was fired, the flag fell, and the first man, J Smith (Triumph) was away. McCandless was No.2, D Parkinson (Norton) No.12, and Duke No. 23 and they seemed to be the three favourites. Riders whose engines stopped within a few yards of firing were W S Corley (348 AJS), A C E Collins (348 Norton) and C H Davy (348 Velocette). Presumably their plugs wetted up. They eventually made getaways. A certain amount of difficulty in starting was experienced by H Whitaker (348 Velocette), too. What a lot of three-fifties there were in this race – 34 of them! The riders were sent away at 10s intervals as usual.

Soon, No.31 L G Tedder (Norton) mysteriously appeared at the back of the pits! He made some adjustments, and then rejoined the course; but he retired at Quarter Bridge with engine trouble.

In what seemed a very short time McCandless was signalled at Ramsey. Then, a few minutes later, Duke was through there too. At the Bungalow they said visibility was still pretty good but not quite so good as it was. It was also said, unofficially, when Duke screamed past, that he then had a 20s lead over McCandless at this point. Meanwhile, it was reported that TG Wilson (Norton) had retired at Crosby with engine trouble, and that C H Davis (348 Velocette) had skidded and fallen at Quarter Bridge, but had remounted. Suddenly McCandless was signalled at Governor’s Bridge. A few seconds later he roared past the stands at very high speed, having completed his first lap in 26m 39s (84.96mph), which beat the post-war Senior Manx record!

Parkinson made up nine places, so far, as starting order was concerned, on his first lap, which was completed in 27m 23s. Fifth man to appear was Duke. He had made up 18 places and had lapped in 26m 16s (86.20mph), 2s outside the Senior Manx all-time record! D G Crossley (Triumph), last year’s Senior winner, seemed to come trough early. Soon the order of the first six resolved itself, and at the end of Lap 1, Duke was first, McCandless second, Parkinson third, C Horn (Norton) fourth, D G Crossley fifth and D Marshall (Triumph) sixth. Further incidents occurred: G W Robinson (Norton) retired at the pits with a broken oil pipe. R R Moore parted from his Ariel at Quarter Bridge, but proceeded. On the mountain, I Drysdale stopped and worked on his Triumph, and then continued until he reached his pit, where he stopped again. He retired with what was eventually fou7nd to be a blocked jet. It was announced than Len Randles, who won the first race in 1923, was now watching from the grandstand. Duke at the Bungalow on Lap 2 was thought to have a lead of 58s over McCandless. At the end of the lap McCandless made a pit-stop to refuel and was away again in 24s. Then it was announced that he had completed Lap 2 in 26m 0s (87.089mph) and had set up a new Manx Grand Prix Senior lap record! Well, if Geoff Duke was still as far ahead on running, what would he do in the way of a lap? Geoff flashed through to begin his third lap, and everyone was waiting for the time. He was even insight literally, of Parkinson.

Excitement was in the announcer’s voice: Duke had lapped in 25m 53s (87.480mph), yet another record was smashed in moments. With two such brilliant riders in the lead, one tended to forget the other stalwarts battling round the course. But Parkinson was flying round at great speed, and so was Horn. Moreover, Crossley at full bore passed the stands was magnificent. As the six leaders at the end of lap 2 were sorted out, it was obvious that Horn had taken third place and H Clark (Norton) had come up into sixth. It was reported that A W Dobbs who was pushing his Triumph in from Governor’s Bridge, had retired. The order at the end of Lap 2 was Duke; McCandless; Horn; Parkinson; Crossley and Clark. Could McCandless catch the flying Duke? Both must have realised, by now, that it would be a question of fighting for seconds. McCandless came through at the end of Lap 3 very fast, and sounded as if he had changed into top just before the bridge at the crest of Bray. His time for the lap was 26m 39s.

Duke stopped at his pit the refuel, having completed Lap3 in 26m 0s and was away again in about 35s. A lot of riders were making pit-stops to refuel at the end of this lap. News of further incidents filtered through. At Sulby Bridge J M Crow (Norton) stopped with a wasp inside his goggles and, after dealing with the insect continued the race. After coming off at the Waterworks corner J M Varlow (348 AJS) repaired some damage and proceeded. Engine trouble caused R Pratt (Norton) to retire at Ballaugh. Leaders at the end of Lap 3 were in the same order as at the end of Lap 2, i.e., Duke McCandless, Horn, Parkinson, Crossley, Clark. Things hotted up still more in the next lap. When the two rocketing leaders had both passed the Bungalow, it was estimated by the observers at that point that Duke was ahead of McCandless by 21/2s! “Cromie” reeled off another 26m lap that time round, and, when Duke had roared past the stands, it was announced that Geoff had a lead of 4s! What a wonderful race! Four seconds between the leaders after four laps! Meanwhile O P Hartree (348 Velocette) stated at the pits he had “lost” top gear. Of five riders reported as falling off at Quarter Bridge on Lap 4, H Whitaker (348 Velocette) and J McKimm (348 AJS) retired. R H Sherry (Triumph)changed a plug at Ballacraine. The same six men were in front, in the same order. On the fifth lap, McCandless put on a spurt.

Excitement grew intense when it was realised that he had forged ahead of Duke by 10s! The was Isle of Man racing at its best! This was real racing! How many spectators gave the other gallant riders a thought? Spotlight of the crowd’s imagination was obviously focused on the two leaders, whose growing times at the end of the lap were 2h 11m 31s and 2h 11m 41s. The order was McCandless, Duke, Horn, Parkinson, Crossley, and Clark. In the meantime, three more riders had come off at Quarter Bridge but had remounted, and G A Matthews had kept control of his Sunbeam in spite of hitting the wall at Sulby Bridge. It was the last lap. McCandless was signalled through Ramsey, and Duke through Kirk Michael. Someone worked it out that at Ramsey Duke was in the lead again! Certainly a little later the observer at the Bungalow estimated that Duke was ahead by 4s! The indicators ticked round and McCandless was signalled at Governor’s Bridge.

Excited people stood up on the stands as he finished. Duke was at the Creg… at Governor’s… what a finish! The forest of people in the grandstand waited almost breathless, after the chequered flag had fallen for Duke. Then the result blared through the speakers. Duke was the winner, and he was just about 43s ahead of McCandless on time! What had happened? It turned out that, with all the downhill riding to the Creg and Brandish, the small amount of petrol in McCandless’ tank had swilled forward to the front and left the carburettor dry. Just before Hillberry, therefore, he had to stop and place the Norton’s front wheel up the bank, in order to let the petrol swill back and refill the carburettor.

The winner had been decided, but there was excitement to come. Crossley was reported to be pushing his machine near Ballacraine. He had to retire with engine trouble, and that brilliant newcomer P Romaine, brought his 348 AJS into sixth place in the Senior race !

Yesterday, Les Graham has prophesied that Romaine was capable of finishing in the first six of the Senior on his Junior machine… For a three-fifty, Romaine’s had seemed particularly fast as it went past the stands a lap or so back. As the race finished, F Norris (Norton) pushed in from Governor’s Bridge, and it was announced that Varlow had retired at Ramsey for lack of petrol. What a grand race!

Both Duke and McCandless thought so, too, as they said sporting things about each other over the loudspeakers.

1st G E Duke Norton 2h 37m 50.8s 86.063mph
2nd W A C McCandless Norton 2h 38m 33.6s 85.683mph
3rd C Horn Norton 2h 44m 00.6s 82.834mph
4th D Parkinson Norton 2h 46m 18.4s 81.690mph
5th H Clark Norton 2h 48m 47.8s 80.487mph
6th p Romaine 348 AJS 2h 51m 53.2s 79.039mph
7th E Andrew Norton 2h 52m 15.8s 78.865mph
8th D E R Morgan Norton 2h 53m 36.2s 78.256mph
All the above received Silver Replicas.
Team Award: BMCRC ‘A’ – G E Duke; F Norris; H J D Boyton – All Nortons Newcomers’ Award: P Romaine 348 AJS
Lady Hill Trophy (for the best performance in the races by a Manx Rider) D Christian

Record Lap: G E Duke Video Ltd Norton on Lap 2 25m 53s 87.480mph