When race leader Anton De Pasquale faced a critical fuel predicament near the end of the race, it looked like Bates was on course to secure a breakthrough victory in the prestigious Supercars championship.
Drama unfolded when Walkinshaw TWG Racing driver Chaz Mostert crashed his Toyota Supra at Forrest’s Elbow, triggering a Safety Car deployment that brought Brodie Kostecki of Dick Johnson Racing right back into the mix for the win.
During a frantic three-lap sprint to the finish flag, Bates found himself hung out to dry as Kostecki made a decisive passing maneuver down the inside at Murray’s Corner. The Matt Stone Racing Camaro also lost another position to Triple Eight’s Will Brown during the intense sequence.
Bates was ultimately promoted to the podium steps when De Pasquale heartbreakingly ran out of fuel on the final lap and failed to finish the race. Reflecting on the roller-coaster emotions, Bates shared his unfiltered thoughts.
"I’m obviously stoked to get my first Supercars podium along with Aaron here at Bathurst, that’s super cool," said Bates. "Of course there’s a little part of me that’s gutted — but would’ve, could’ve, should’ve. At the end of the day, it’s the reality. It was an amazing race. The team did such an amazing job. Surreal."
Bates admitted he made a small mistake at the Chase, which ultimately opened the door for Kostecki's final-corner lunge. "That’s what set Brodie up for the last corner," he explained. "He did an intelligent move, a good move, got it done."
For co-driver Seton, the result successfully continued his family's legendary legacy of standing on the iconic Bathurst 1000 podium. Despite the victory slipping away at the very end, Seton remained upbeat about the collective team effort.
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