The cooperation of Bill Chapin and Raphael Maurin started back in 2017 when they prepared to race the new four-stroke SX-R in Mark Hahn 300. Back then Chapin helped the French team to set up the new ski and worked together in order to improve handling and engine performance. Chapin liked a lot the young Frenchman and he had already started seting up a deal for the future with Kawasaki USA.
“I really liked working with Raphael and Laurent! Raphael’s determination and effort are second to none of all the racers I have ever worked with! He is a true racer! A true asset to any team! UPBEAT all the time! And READY FOR WAR at any moment! He is a warrior of racers…..I personally would not enjoy being on another team and racing against him, now that I KNOW HIM! When the 1500 SX-R was very first introduced, I worked to get Raphael over here for the Mark Hahn with Team Pastorello to team with Jean Baptiste Botti (Another race animal). Botti was racing the stand up with Raphael as Botti was also racing with Jean-Bruno on the Kawasaki Ultra 310R… It was not long before I realized “THIS PUNK KID” is gonna have to do this “WHOLE FRICKIN RACE” all by himself! As Botti was needed with Jean-Bruno as they were also leading that class (F1 Class and General Classification)! I watched him do 200 miles on an SXR by himself and lapped another Pro Racer “twice”. They won the race and at the awards Raphael came by and hand me the Tropphy. I was surprised since he had worked so hard to earn it so I proposed him to give the trophy to Kawasaki USA (KMC) for their support! I worked to convince KAWASKI USA to give me what “I NEEDED” to support him properly for a run at the World Championships in Havasu. Joe Heim and Minoru Kanamori gave me a boat for him to use while here. Kawasaki made Raphael and Laurent “Team Pastorello” FACTORY!”
