ZACH Bates admits it was now or never to make his Supercars graduation in 2026.
The Canberran’s chance has come with Matt Stone Racing aboard the #10 Bendix Camaro, after his future had for a time appeared uncertain.
Bates’ apprenticeship included dominated in Toyota 86s, winning the Super2 title and, lastly, shining in a Triple Eight/Supercheap Auto main game wildcard.
“Obviously it has been a long road for not just me but all our partners, family and everything like that, so to now get to this level is really exciting,” he told V8 Sleuth, six weeks out from the Sydney season-opener.
“Thank you to everyone who has supported me. Now the hard part starts, as they say.
“I’ve got there but now racing these guys week in and week out is going to be very challenging but something I have always wanted to do. It’s going to be great.”
Had the MSR seat not fallen his way, it might’ve just about been game over for the popular 21-year-old.
“Absolutely,” he said.
‘I think when you look back at it, in 2023 I was teammates with Woody (Ryan Wood); he went on to graduate and has been doing an excellent job but I needed that extra year in Super2. I absolutely did.
“In 2024 we had a fantastic year with the Walkinshaw crew and then probably at the end of that, I hadn’t had any main game experience which the likes of Kai Allen and whatnot did and they leapfrogged into the series after that year whereas I had to stay another year.
“But the Triple Eight wildcard experience was truly epic. I feel a lot more comfortable coming into the series now after that program, so a huge credit to them with all of that.
“It has been a long road… it was definitely now or never because there was no way that I was going to do another year not in the main game level. I’m definitely ready.
“It’s difficult because there’s obviously not a huge amount of seats out there, so when this came up, Matt (Stone) approached us, we were really excited to work together.
“Now it’s the time to show what myself and MSR can do.”