Life in the fast lane at Bennetts BSB

Original Apprentice winner Tim Campbell continued his life in the fast lane yesterday with a high-speed pillion aboard the Bennetts Buell with former triple Superbike Champion Niall Mackenzie. The businessman who managed to stay cool under pressure from Sir Alan Sugar was unable to contain his excitement at the experience with Mackenzie – who he described as “a God”.

The Bennetts policyholder – who rides a Suzuki GSXR 750 – enjoyed a flying lap at the Brands Hatch circuit in Kent in glorious sunshine, which left him speechless for a few seconds before exclaiming that the experience was “unbelievable”. He said: “I started out by trying to be really cool at first by putting my hands on the tank of the Bennetts Buell, but before we’d even made it half way round the track I was clinging on to Niall and had my arms wrapped around him.”

Tim was previously quoted as saying that he had learnt from Sir Alan how to take risks and his nerves of steel were confirmed when he stepped off the Bennetts Buell with his helmet hiding a huge grin.

The action at the re-run of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship season opener was also witnessed by celebrity motorcyclist Jodie Marsh, who rode to the event aboard a Harley-Davidson. She was unable to experience the Bennetts Buell pillion due to her recent surgery but declared that a previous pillion experience with Ron Haslam was “better than sex.” She met Haslam’s son and championship contender Leon on the grid yesterday as well as other British contenders Leon Camier and Tom Sykes.


The nation’s favourite bike insurance provider invited Tim and Jodie to the event as personal guests after a new date was set for the event. The bright sunshine was in stark contrast to the thick snow that cancelled the first event just five weeks ago at the same circuit.

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For further information please contact Rebecca Brocklesby on 01652 680060 or email rebecca@rbplimited.co.uk Bennetts is a trading name of BISL Limited, Pegasus House, Bakewell Road, Orton Southgate, Peterborough, PE2 6YS. Registered in England No. 3231094. BISL Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. THE BACKGROUND TO BENNETTS Bennetts was established in Coventry by the Bennetts family in 1930 to provide insurance services to people throughout the West Midlands. In the early 1980’s Bennetts decided to devise a number of specialist insurance schemes that would meet the needs of different types of biker. These schemes are constantly reviewed to give bikers the exact cover they need. In 2000 Bennetts was the first motorcycle insurance specialist to offer the ability to buy insurance online, through its website, www.bennetts.co.uk. In October 2001, the Bennetts brand was acquired by the BGL Group (formerly the Budget Group of Companies), through its purchase of the Dial Direct Group, a major UK car insurance intermediary. The BGL Group was established in 1992, and has grown to be the UK’s third largest personal lines insurance intermediary, through a combination of organic growth and a series of major strategic acquisitions. The BGL Group now arranges and administers insurance for around 1,200,000 customers and has contact centre operations in Peterborough, Coventry, Sunderland and Cape Town, South Africa. It currently employs 2255 people and its head office is in Peterborough. In May 2003, Bennetts unveiled its new brand identity to the industry. Bennetts became personal sponsor of former World Superbike Champion Neil Hodgson in May 2003. In June 2004 and again in June 2006, independent brand tracking research identified Bennetts as the UK’s number one brand for motorcycle insurance. In January 2005, Bennetts signed the biggest sponsorship deal in the history of the brand by becoming title sponsor of the 2005 Bennetts British Superbike Championship. Bennetts continued its sponsorship of the British Superbike Championship in 2006 and 2007. In June 2007, Bennetts became official series sponsor of the World Superbike Championship for the remainder of the 2007 championship and for the whole of the 2008 championship. Bennetts became personal sponsor of current World Superbike Championship leader James Toseland in July 2007.