Overview
- Bates won the Top 10 Shootout on Saturday with a single-lap time of 2:04.2062 to take pole and denied Brodie Kostecki a fourth straight Bathurst pole.
- He had set a Gen3-era benchmark in Friday qualifying by becoming the first driver to lap Mount Panorama under 2:04 with a 2:03.9376 provisional time.
- Bates will share the No.10 Matt Stone Racing Chevrolet Camaro with co‑driver Aaron Seton and his pole is the first Bathurst 1000 pole for Matt Stone Racing.
- The weekend has been an emotional milestone for Bates, who dedicated his run to his late mother Alison Drower and acknowledged his family’s motorsport legacy.
- While team boss Matt Stone said the outfit plans to keep its line-up, multiple reports state Bates’ two‑year deal requires driver‑sourced funding, leaving his 2027 status subject to ongoing discussions.