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Bates has won a series of concessions which will allow him to drive his locally-built Toyota Corolla in Repco Rally Australia, which will run on the far north coast of NSW from September 3-6.
It has taken a special homologation for the car, and a guest pass into the top group of drivers, to get Bates and Coral Taylor back into action following their failed defence of the Australian Rally Championship this year.
The pair had a miserable local grand final with a stupid alternator problem on the first day of Rally SA in Adelaide, then were unable to start the final day because of engine trouble. They slipped to third in the series, behind their former Toyota team mates Simon and Sue Evans in a Mitsubishi Lancer.
"I left Adelaide thinking it could be all over for my top-line career," Bates admitted yesterday. "And it was a terrible way to finish." He and Taylor still pushed ahead with plans for a two-car Rally Australia entry, but expected their pair of Corolla S2000 cars to be driven by Darren Windus and Stewart Reid.
But a surprise deal has been done and Bates is back for Rally Australia with Reid alongside and driving a car he hopes to buy after the event.
Toyota, which withdrew from rallying this year as part of a major finanical cutback in Australia, has decided to celebrate the recent showroom success of its Corolla and the rally effort will also be backed by Carsguide.com.au "I'm excited. No, very, very excited," Bates said yesterday.
"I had given up on Rally Australia. I really didn't think it would be happening with me as a driver. But we were still trying to put something together and, with the help of a lot of friends, it's now going ahead. We are all incredibly enthused."
Bates' entry will not be official until the starting list for Repco Rally Australia is confirmed, probably tomorrow, but he is likely to get a starting spot in the top 20 crews as an entry in the production world championship class. His closest rival will be Cody Crocker, a former Australian champion who has dominated the Asia- Pacific championship in recent years in a Subaru.
Bates is still working on his Rally Australia plan and said he has not set a target yet. He never did well when Rally Australia was in Perth, but often ran in the top 10 against the world's best and scored sixth when he competed in Rally New Zealand. "Perth was never a good rally for me. I ran in a few high piositons but had a few problems," Bates said. "My best would have been seventh or eight. But I went to NZ for the first time and got sixth, which was my best WRC result."
"I've always really loved Rally Australia. I always wished it would be on the East coast and now it's happened. No-one has rallied on the roads before so that will be a big leveller"
"I think the format and route should suit me, with lots of hard-packed roads and the superspecial stage through the streets of Murmwillumbah. We've got a lot of work to do this week before we head north but there are a lot of smiling faces now in the workshop."
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