Supercars rookie Zach Bates has claimed a “fairytale” Bathurst 1000 pole position after winning an electric top-10 shootout at Mount Panorama.
Starting from provisional pole, the 22-year-old had to better three-time reigning top-10 shootout winner Brodie Kostecki’s lightning lap of 2:04.491 — and did it with ease.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Zach Bates claims stunning Bathurst pole position
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The Matt Stone Racing star flew around the first sector, had Kostecki covered across the top of the mountain and came home in a flash to top all three sectors and cross the line in 2:04.206.
“This is some kind of lap from this kid,” Richard Craill said in commentary for Seven as the youngster tore through The Chase.
“Is it going to be Brodie Kostecki, or will it be this fairytale story, the kid from Canberra?
“Out the final corner… does he get a Bathurst pole? Oh yes he does! Zach Bates, you are a star!”
Garth Tander added: “We said yesterday that yesterday’s lap was career-defining — he’s just doubled down and done it again.
“Think about the pressure. How about the execution?”
Zach Bates will start from pole on Sunday. Credit: Channel 7
Kostecki will still start on the front row for a fourth-straight year after narrowly staving off Anton De Pasquale, who was second last around the mountain before Bates.
Speaking to Seven in the cockpit ahead of his first ever Great Race, Bates said he could “not believe it”.
“Thank you so much to my family, the team, everyone who’s helped me get here,” he added.
“It’s been a tough old road, but yeah, little thank-you for them.”
Zach Bates embraces his dad after winning the top-10 shootout at the Bathurst 1000. Credit: Channel 7
Bates embraced his dad with an emotional hug after getting out of the car.
His win comes after his mother Alison Drower died from cancer weeks before his Bathurst 1000 debut last year, when he finished 10th as part of the Triple Eight Race Engineering wildcard with the great Craig Lowndes.
The Canberra local is the son of former rally driver and Supercars driver Rick Bates, and the nephew of four-time Australian Rally champion Neal Bates.
“It’s incredible. It’s been a pretty average year for the whole family,” Bates said on Saturday after qualifying.
“I lost Mum last year, so to be able to come here this time last year, be able to do this, is pretty special.
“I’m fortunate to be born into a family of rich motorsport heritage, so definitely got a big leg up in that aspect.
“It’s fantastic to be able to repay all the hard work that my whole family has done to get me to this point.”
Supercars rookie Zach Bates claimed pole position for the Bathurst 1000 at Mount Panorama. Credit: AAP
Team 18 driver De Pasquale will start in the second row with fourth-fastest Cooper Murray, while series leader Matt Payne was 10th.
But Grove Racing star Payne will be far from disheartened, given he had started from 18th en route to last year’s epic wet-weather triumph with former co-driver Garth Tander.
Reynolds will start on the grid in eighth after a family of ducks threatened to derail his bid for a second Bathurst 1000 title.
Tickford co-driver Mark Winterbottom was forced to a sudden halt when ducks were spotted crossing the track at Conrod Straight during practice on Friday.
Winterbottom’s sudden braking caught out Reynolds’ co-driver James Courtney, who locked up and slammed into the rear of the Tickford Ford Mustang.
But both cars were able to return to complete the 60-minute practice session before the shootout.
Defending Supercars champion Chaz Mostert was among the big names to miss out on the top-10 shootout and will start from 16th for the best qualifying result in the Toyota Supra.
Payne’s teammate Kai Allen fell agonisingly short in 11th, while title contender Broc Feeney was 12th ahead of Cam Waters in 13th.
Kostecki’s rookie teammate Rylan Gray will start from the back row with Ryan Wood after the duo crashed out in separate incidents in Friday’s first practice session.
BATHURST 1000 TOP 10 SHOOTOUT RESULTS:
1. Zach Bates/Aaron Seton (No.10 Matt Stone Racing)
2. Brodie Kostecki/Todd Hazelwood (No.17 Dick Johnson Racing)
3. Anton De Pasquale/Lee Holdsworth (No.18 Team 18)
4. Cooper Murray/Lachie Dalton (No.99 Erebus Motorsport)
5. Jack Le Brocq/Harri Jones (No.4 Matt Stone Racing)
6. Will Brown/Scott Pye (No.888 Triple Eight Race Engineering)
7. Jayden Ojeda/David Russell (No.31 PremiAir Racing)
8. David Reynolds/James Courtney (No.48 Team 18)
9. James Golding/Richie Stanaway (No.7 Blanchard Racing Team)
10. Matt Payne/Will Davison (No.19 Grove Racing)
With AAP
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