Triple Eight Race Engineering is thrilled to announce the signing of Zach Bates, who will join the team’s driving roster and planned continuation of the Supercheap Auto Racing wildcard program in 2025 alongside Craig Lowndes in the #888 Chevrolet Camaro.
The 20-year-old, currently competing in his second year of the Dunlop Super2 Championship, holds a 39-point championship lead entering the Adelaide 500 finale after claiming his first Super2 win at the Perth SuperSprint in May.
Bates, the son of rally driver Rick Bates and the nephew of multiple Australian champion Neal Bates, began his racing career in karts at age 10, and previously won the Formula Ford national title in 2021. Following his Formula Ford success, Zach carved out a brilliant Toyota 86 career, winning nine races in 2021 including eight in a row. In 2022, Zach won seven of 15 races.
Since the commencement of Triple Eight’s Supercheap Auto-backed wildcard program in 2021, the team has seen talented young drivers in Broc Feeney, Declan Fraser, Zane Goddard and Cooper Murray make their case for full-time seats in the Supercars Championship.
Supercheap Auto Racing’s 2022 Bathurst 1000 campaign delivered an eighth-place finish, the highest place wildcard finish in the history of the Great Race. The team’s 2024 Sandown 500 entry, piloted by Craig Lowndes and Cooper Murray, crossed the checkered flag in an impressive fifth position, securing a dominant one-two-five finish for Triple Eight Race Engineering across the team’s three entries. Murray also secured Triple Eight’s first top ten shootout appearance for the wildcard entry at the Darwin Triple Crown in June.
Supercheap Auto Racing’s 2025 season launch date, livery reveal and event entry announcements will be announced in due course.
Zach Bates, Driver, Supercheap Auto Racing
“I’m absolutely stoked to be joining the Supercheap Auto Racing wildcard next year. It’s been an absolute dream of mine to race in Supercars, and to race with a team like Triple Eight alongside Craig Lowndes is amazing. I’ll have a lot to learn off him which is a great thing, and I can’t wait to get stuck into it.
“My main focus is to learn as much as I can from both Craig and the team. I want to put myself in the best position to secure a full-time drive and I believe this is my best opportunity. There probably hasn’t been a racing situation that Craig hasn’t been involved in, so I can’t wait to pick his brain about everything, both on-and-off track which will be very valuable for me heading into the future.
“I obviously still have a job to do at Adelaide to secure the Super2 championship, but I’m stoked to get this news out. It’s a good way to finish off the year but I’ll still be working very hard over the summer break to get ready for 2025 to maximise this opportunity.
“I want to give a huge thanks to the entire team at Supercheap Auto and Triple Eight Race Engineering for this exciting opportunity. I’d also like to thank Walkinshaw Andretti United for the past couple of years, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with the team and look forward to fighting for the Super2 Championship for them in Adelaide. Finally, I want to thank my friends and family for their support in my racing career, and hopefully this is just as exciting for them as it is for me.”
Craig Lowndes, Driver, Supercheap Auto Racing
“Zach’s been quite impressive in the Super2 category the past two years. He’s shown good consistency, and even though we’ve had limited interactions so far, he shows great promise.
“It’s a great opportunity to announce Zach nice and early to both get it out there, but at the same time start laying the foundation with him to set the scene for the early stages, so he knows what he’s up for.
“I’m really proud to be involved in the success of this program over the past three years. It’s great to be able to give back to the sport that I love and share the knowledge and wisdom that I’ve been able to create over the past 30-plus years that I’ve been involved. The program itself is getting bigger and stronger every year, and this year was no doubt the most promising. Building on that momentum I’m looking forward to next year with Zach making it bigger and more super.”
Jamie Whincup, Managing Director, Triple Eight Race Engineering
“I can’t wait to welcome Zach to the Triple Eight family next year and surround him with some of the most talented people in pit lane.
“There’s no doubt the step up from Super2 to Supercars is significant, but with the support of Craig and the #888 crew, Zach will be well prepared to give this opportunity a red-hot crack. I’m a huge believer in an experienced driver partnering with an up-and-coming talent to tackle the two enduro events, and this pairing has just as many opportunities and resources to win as our Red Bull Ampol Racing cars.
“I also want to acknowledge the super contribution of our major partner, Supercheap Auto. They’ve been with Triple Eight since 2021, and their investment in giving young talent a crack at the pinnacle of Australian motorsport shouldn’t go unrecognised.”
Benjamin Ward, Managing Director, Supercheap Auto
“We’re excited to welcome Zach to the Supercheap Auto family in 2025, joining Craig Lowndes in the #888 Wildcard Camaro.
“The Bates name is legendary in motorsport, and we look forward to writing a new chapter with Zach in Supercars.
“Fans can look forward to more super announcements next year, as we prepare for our fifth year of the Supercheap Auto wildcard.”
Bruce Stewart, CEO, Walkinshaw Andretti United
“First and foremost, we are delighted to see Zach get an opportunity in the main game in 2025. He is thoroughly deserving of what’s ahead, he is a fantastic driver, but also a great kid, so we are all rapt for him.
“Of course, we are disappointed that it won’t be with us, but it’s exactly what our Foundation Academy is about, opportunity. It’s also great to see him representing a great partner of ours, Supercheap Auto.
“That’s 2025 though, we are all fully focussed on what’s ahead of him and the Walkinshaw Andretti United team in Adelaide and will be doing everything we possibly can to secure the Super2 Championship, which he currently leads.”
