Bates' resolve draws praise from departing legend Lowndes
Zach Bates set for Bathurst debut a week after mother's passing
21-year-old resilience draws praise from co-driver Craig Lowndes
Lowndes making final Triple Eight start before joining Team 18 next year
Bathurst rookie Zach Bates' resilience amid devastating personal news has seen veteran co-driver Craig Lowndes heap praise on the rising star.
The second generation young gun has starred in his wildcard appearances in 2025, headlined by a stunning Top Ten Shootout performance in Ipswich, however his lead-up to Bathurst has been disrupted by unimaginable news.
Bates' mother, former motorsport media personality Alison 'Ali' Drower, passed away last week following a battle with cancer, with the #888 Camaro running tribute stickers on the C-pillars this weekend.
Emotions were already set to be running high in the Triple Eight wildcard camp, with Lowndes making his last stand with the team before taking the Supercheap Auto-backed wildcard program to Team 18 next year.
With Lowndes remaining loyal to GM's homologation team in waiting, and Triple Eight jumping back to Ford having last competed for the Blue Oval in 2009, it will bring to a close a remarkably successful 21-year chapter.
The entire Triple Eight operation, including the lead Red Bull Ampol Racing Team, have bandied around the Canberran following Drower's passing, with seven-time Bathurst winner Lowndes expecting emotions to surface as race day draws closer.
"At the moment we are rallying around him," said Lowndes when asked by Supercars.com.
"I think that obviously the news of his mum is devastating. We knew at The Bend that his Mum was ill. We didn't know how ill at that point.
"He's resilient, he's at the moment putting on a brave face. No doubt that as the week goes on, he'll have more emotions like I will in a different way."
Bates is set for the busiest weekend of his young career at Bathurst, completing double duties with his Dunlop Super2 Series commitments.
The reigning Super2 champion's title defence hasn't gone to plan, with the 21-year-old currently 10th in the standings for Eggleston Motorsport, with a pole position and runner-up finish to his name from Race 2 in Tasmania.
"His family are coming up, he's doing double duty - Super2 and for the main game, so he is going to be busy and he actually said, I think being busy is probably good for him," Lowndes added.
"I think come Sunday night, I just want to get him in the right position and with a good car and let him run home. And that's, I'll be more nervous in the garage to be honest.
"But I think that for him it's going to be very emotional."
Track action in Bathurst commences on Thursday.
