Bathurst 1000 live updates: Kostecki’s high praise for record-denying ‘underdog’

That wraps up our LIVE coverage of Saturday action at the Bathurst 1000.

We’ll be back tomorrow for The Great Race, which gets underway at 11.15am AEDT.

Zach Bates has joined an elite club of Supercars greats to claim a maiden pole position for the Bathurst 1000.

Bates was the last car out in Saturday’s top-10 shootout, having set the fastest time in Friday qualifying.

And he proved it was no fluke when he set a blistering time in the shootout to go nearly three tenths clear of Brodie Kostecki, in the process denying the Ford driver a record-breaking fourth consecutive Bathurst 1000 pole.

READ THE FULL SHOOTOUT WRAP HERE

• 1. Zach Bates | 2:04.206
• 2. Brodie Kostecki | 2:04.491 (+0.285)
• 3. Anton De Pasquale | 2:04.530 (+0.324)
• 4. Cooper Murray | 2:04.697 (+0.491)
• 5. Jack LeBrocq | 2:04.985 (+0.779)
• 6. Will Brown | 2:05.120 (+0.914)
• 7. Jayden Ojeda | 2:05.156 (+0.950)
• 8. David Reynolds | 2:05.173 (+0.967)
• 9. James Golding | 2:05.303 (+1.097)
• 10. Matt Payne | 2:05.352 (+1.146)

Despite being denied a record-breaking fourth-straight Bathurst 1000 pole, even Brodie Kostecki was chuffed for the 22-year-old Bates.

“I love a good underdog story – I’ve been a part of one in the past, so I’m super happy for those guys,” he said, referencing his 2023 championship triumph for Erebus Motorsport.

He said co-driver Todd Hazelwood had already made a bold call.

“I’m really looking forward to tomorrow – Todd’s already promised me he’s going to make a start we’ll be leading by turn one,” he said.

"So lots to play for tomorrow. I'm really happy with the race car, and just super happy for Zach. That's incredible."

Zach Bates comes from motorsport royalty.

The entire Bates family are involved in rally, and his cousin Harry is a four-time Australian rally champion.

“I can’t believe it. Honestly, I cannot believe it,” Zach said on the broadcast.

"You know, I had a good feeling throughout the week, but I didn't think the thing could go this fast.

"I've got an incredible team behind me … we're a young, up-and-coming team and it's certainly very cool to get this done."

It's Bates' maiden Supercars pole, and his Matt Stone Racing team's second.

He joins Craig Lowndes (1996) and Mark Larkham (1999) in claiming their maiden poles in the Bathurst 1000

"I just went for it. We were quite (understeery) in practice, which I was quite worried about going into the shootout, but the ambient (air temperature) came down, track (grip) came up … it was great, mate.

"It's super special to do a lap here by yourself. It's unbelievable."

In his first season of full-time Supercars competition, Zach Bates has taken pole position for the Bathurst 1000!

And in doing so, he’s denied Brodie Kostecki a record breaking fourth-straight pole.

He did it in style too! He was over a tenth up in the first sector, and nearly a quarter of a second up through the second.

At the line, he was nearly three tenths quicker than Kostecki.

• 1. Zach Bates | 2:04.206
• 2. Brodie Kostecki | 2:04.491
• 3. Anton De Pasquale | 2:04.530
• 4. Cooper Murray | 2:04.697
• 5. Jack LeBrocq | 2:04.985
• 6. Will Brown | 2:05.120
• 7. Jayden Ojeda | 2:05.156
• 8. David Reynolds | 2:05.173
• 9. James Golding | 2:05.303
• 10, Matt Payne | 2:05.352

Six cars down and Brodie Kostecki has gone half a second quicker than the field.

He was blistering through the opening two sectors of the track to go half a second up, and maintained it down Conrod Straight to the finish line.

He is absolutely on for a fourth-straight pole!

• 1. Brodie Kostecki | 2:04.491
• 2. Jack LeBrocq | 2:04.985
• 3. Jayden Ojeda | 2:05.156
• 4. David Reynolds | 2:05.173
• 5. James Golding | 2:05.303
• 6. Matt Payne | 2:05.352

We’re three cars down in this shootout, and Jayden Ojeda is the quickest so far.

James Golding was first, and he set what looked like only a solid lap before reigning champion fell half a tenth short.

Ojeda was next out and he went one and a half tenths quicker.

The thunderstorms that were forecast have stayed away and the track is bathed in late afternoon sunshine.

• 1. Jayden Ojeda | 2:05.156
• 2. James Golding | 2:05.303
• 3. Matt Payne | 2:05.352

The DJR mechanics have done a great job to get Brodie Kostecki’s No.17 Mustang ready for the top-10 shootout after a transaxle change.

The 2024 Bathurst 1000 champion is chasing a record-breaking fourth consecutive pole position for The Great Race.

James Golding has left the pit lane and the first car is on the track for the top-10 shootout!

Final practice for the Bathurst 1000 had to be stopped after a family of ducklings wandered onto the track.

No, seriously.

Just minutes into the session, the red flags flew after the ducks wandered onto Conrod Straight, triggering chaos for the Supercars on track.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE