Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/510271
IN THE WIND P30 TEAM HERO EBR FALLOUT T he poo slinging has started in earnest between QB Racing and Pegram Racing—the two outfits responsible for the running of the Team Hero EBR World Superbike racing effort. Two conflicting statements, released within hours of each other on Friday May 8, reached the world's media, with QB Rac- ing's Claudio Quintarelli throw- ing the first punch, claiming he had personal material seized by U.S. banks in charge of the EBR receivership. "When I asked about this incident, I was told by [Larry] Pe- gram that the things belonging to EBR had been required by some U.S. banks in charge of handling the failure of EBR, and that the material of my property had been taken away by mis- take," Quintarelli claims. "Since Larry Pegram was the man who spoke with these banks, I im- mediately 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." It didn't take long for Pegram Racing to respond to the ac- cusations. "Pegram Racing would like to say that only propriety of Pegram Racing and or prop- erty that they were responsible for, was returned to the U.S. Nothing of Mr. Quintarelli's was removed," they said in a state- ment. "Un- fortunately EBR filed for bankruptcy and we all are now experi- encing great loss. None more than the dedicated employees of EBR and Pegram Racing. Our concerns are with all who are now strug- gling from this including Pegram Racing crew and EBR staff. To try to make accusations or assess blame is useless as Pegram Racing would be racing this weekend [at Imola] and the remainder of the season if not for the bankruptcy of EBR." And it appears former Pegram Racing rider Niccolo Canepa is sticking the boot in as well, as he commented in the same statement released by QB Rac- ing. "The only positive side of this experience (riding for Pegram Racing/Team Hero EBR) was with QB Racing, a company that showed a really superlative pro- fessional attitude from beginning to end," Canepa said via the QB Racing release. "I found myself with no bike and no team, and without a minimum notice by my team." Pegram denies QB Racing's claims that Claudio Quintarelli's property was seized. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GOLD & GOOSE Unhapiness reigns after EBR's bankruptcy forced an untimely end to Team Hero EBR's World Superbike effort that fielded Niccolo Canepa (59) and team manager Larry Pegram (72).