American Management Of Team Hero EBR Comes Under Fire

Troy Siahaan
by Troy Siahaan

After the announcement that EBR would be ceasing operations, the fallout over the future of EBR’s World Superbike efforts has not ended well. Below is a press release from Claudio Quintarelli, owner of QB Racing and Hero EBR Team Coordinator, expressing his frustration and disappointment.

Claudio Quintarelli and his company QB Racing Team wish to strongly distance themselves from Larry Pegram’s company Annelida Racing Incorporated, the American firm who managed the Team Hero EBR team this year in the FIM Superbike World Championship.

After managing the Team Hero EBR squad in 2014, Claudio Quintarelli’s QB Racing Team had been responsible for all the logistics, accounting and all the Marketing & PR activities this year. Last but not least, the Italian based company rented to Annelida Racing Incorporated a fully equipped Racing Department, their technical truck and their hospitality unit.

After the announcement that EBR had ceased operations, Annelida Racing Incorporated was no longer able to bear the expenses to finish the season, breaking in advance the partnership with QB Racing Team.

Claudio Quintarelli, former Hero EBR Team Co-ordinator – “I’m really disappointed, since after almost two years spent giving my contribution to the Erik Buell brand into the FIM Superbike World Championship, I saw my effort completely thrown to the wind, without even a thank you in the press release sent out by Pegram Racing. Instead, I suffered damage to both by image and personal material. After learning from the media about the failure of EBR, I continued to work, pushing hard as I always did, as I was told by Larry Pegram that, somehow we would have finished the season either with the support of our title sponsor Hero MotoCorp, or with the support of some American sponsors. Unfortunately, on April 28th, I had to face the fact that the material of EBR and part of my own personal material disappeared from my Racing Department in Verdello. When I asked about this incident, I was told by Pegram that the things belonging to EBR had been required by some US banks in charge of handling the failure of EBR, and that the material of my property had been taken away by mistake. A simple mistake. Since Larry Pegram was the man who spoke with these banks, I immediately asked Pegram how to get back my property. Sadly, I never received an official reply and from that day my American partners disappeared from any communication. On a brighter note and to finish what I have to say at this moment, I wish to thank some people who showed a great passion and talent: Andreino Marinoni, Andrea Savi for the Marketing & PR, Mauro Donatini and Bruno Bonfanti, my friend Giulio Bardi – dismissed by the team in 2015 for American will, despite his great experience – and a truly talented rider like Niccolò Canepa. A very special thanks to all my sponsors, who still believe in me and in my company’s job”.

Niccolò Canepa, former Team Hero EBR rider – ” I really don’t know what to say. I never imagined that my adventure with Erik Buell Racing could end this way. When I began this collaboration with the Team Hero EBR I knew it would be a year of development on the bike and great sacrifices, far from the top positions and with the only goal of developing the bike. I gave my best, as shown by my results. In the end, I found myself with no bike and no team, and without a minimum notice by my team. The only positive side of this experience was with QB Racing, a company that showed a really superlative professional attitude from beginning to end. I had with them a really nice and pleasant experience in all the Marketing & Communications activities. I want to thank all the sponsors who supported me and who continue to do so. A special thanks to Claudio Quintarelli, along with Andreino Marinoni and Andrea Savi with in the public relations team. As I said, this was the only note of seriousness in this bitter experience”.

Troy Siahaan
Troy Siahaan

Troy's been riding motorcycles and writing about them since 2006, getting his start at Rider Magazine. From there, he moved to Sport Rider Magazine before finally landing at Motorcycle.com in 2011. A lifelong gearhead who didn't fully immerse himself in motorcycles until his teenage years, Troy's interests have always been in technology, performance, and going fast. Naturally, racing was the perfect avenue to combine all three. Troy has been racing nearly as long as he's been riding and has competed at the AMA national level. He's also won multiple club races throughout the country, culminating in a Utah Sport Bike Association championship in 2011. He has been invited as a guest instructor for the Yamaha Champions Riding School, and when he's not out riding, he's either wrenching on bikes or watching MotoGP.

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