Zach Bates qualified on pole for the Bathurst 1000 after the Top 10 Shootout at Mount Panorama. He recorded a lap of 2:04.2062, which was 0.285 seconds faster than Brodie Kostecki.

The 22‑year‑old is a rookie driver. He becomes only the third rookie ever to claim pole, joining Klaus Ludwig in 1987 and Marcos Ambrose in 2001.

Bates comes from a racing family. He is the son of former rally and Supercars driver Rick Bates and the nephew of four‑time Australian Rally champion Neal Bates.

His mother, Alison Drower, died from cancer weeks before his Bathurst 1000 debut last year. In that race he finished 10th while driving with Craig Lowndes.

Bates’ pole position shows that a newcomer can reach the top of a major race. It highlights his skill and the strong support from his family background.