\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
![\"Will](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SI202508190019.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWill Brown is sponsoring one of his direct rivals. Image: Red Bull Content Pool <\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWill Brown is sponsoring one of his direct rivals. Image: Red Bull Content Pool
<\/p>\n
The Triple Eight driver has inked a personal sponsorship deal with Zach Bates, who will make his full-time Supercars debut with Matt Stone Racing.<\/p>\n
The sponsorship comes via the Will Brown Transport organisation that is half owned by Brown and his father Shane and will include WBT signage on Bates\u2019 helmet.<\/p>\n
The deal is an extension of long-standing support for Bates from Brown, who helped facilitate his move to Eggleston Motorsport for the 2025 Super2 season.<\/p>\n
Brown explained the WBT\/Bates deal on the latest episode of the Lucky Dogs podcast he co-hosts with Brodie Kostecki.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, it\u2019s not Lucky Dogs [sponsorship],\u201d said Brown, a reference to the podcast backing a number of junior category drivers at the back end of last year.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought I can\u2019t just use all the Lucky Dogs money because it\u2019s half Brodie\u2019s as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have the [family-owned] car yard, but about a year and a half ago we bought trucks and it\u2019s called KDK Car Carriers, we do a lot of transport in that. Me and my dad bought it [in] halves.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut now I\u2019ve switched it to WBT, so pretty much Will Brown Transport. That changes in a couple of weeks.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo yeah, I\u2019ve got that on [Bates\u2019] visor, I sponsored him through that.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs we all know I\u2019ve supported Zach, they\u2019re a great family and all that. So I thought we\u2019ll do that and have a bit of fun with it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bates is one of five rookies entering Supercars this year along with Jayden Ojeda, Jobe Stewart, Jackson Walls and Rylan Gray, the latter joining the series as Kostecki\u2019s teammate at Dick Johnson Racing.<\/p>\n
In the latest podcast episode Kostecki and Brown debated their pick for top rookie, Kostecki choosing his new teammate, while Brown highlighted both Gray and Bates as likely standouts.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think Rylan\u2019s obviously going to be\u2026 well, he looked good in Super2, so I\u2019d have to go him banking on all that sort of stuff,\u201d said Brown.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I don\u2019t think Zach got to show his potential [in Super2] last year.<\/p>\n
\u201cI also think at the end of the day, MSR have to keep everything up to a high standard for Zach to beat Rylan.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think Zach will have some standout drives. He qualified fifth at QR [last year] in one of our cars, which not anyone\u2019s going to jump in and do.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m going to back Zach with that, Zach and Rylan.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/285249.gif\")