Neal Bates

Neal Bates
Neal Bates and Coral Taylor
NationalityAustralia Australian
Born (1965-03-19) 19 March 1965 (age 59)
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Related toRick Bates (twin brother)
Alison Drower (sister-in-law)
Australian Rally Championship
Years active1989–2009
TeamsNeal Bates Motorsport
Best finish1st in 1993, 1994, 1995 & 2008
Previous series
1997–2003
1997

1997

1993–97
1989–93
1989
V8 Supercars
Australian Super Touring Championship
Australian GT Production Car Championship
World Rally Championship
Australian Endurance Championship
Australian Touring Car Championship
Championship titles
2008
1995
1995
1994
1993
Australian Rally Championship
Targa Tasmania
Australian Rally Championship
Australian Rally Championship
Australian Rally Championship

Neal Anthony Bates (born 19 March 1965) is an Australian rally and racing car driver. Throughout his career Bates has been associated with Toyota in the Australian Rally Championship and for 19 years his Neal Bates Motorsport outfit ran Toyota's official rally program in Australia. Bates claimed four drivers' titles in this time and helped Toyota win four manufacturers' crowns.[1]

Bates' navigator/co-driver since 1993 has been Coral Taylor.

Bates long-time partnership with Toyota also brought the first of many circuit racing opportunities, a drive in a star search program in Toyota's Australian Touring Car Championship team. This led to a number of touring car racing opportunities with the factory Toyota Corolla teams as well as V8 Supercar teams including Paul Weel Racing, Glenn Seton Racing and Gibson Motor Sport.

  1. ^ "Neal Bates and Coral Taylor Profiles". Toyota Racing Development. 3 March 2008. Archived from the original on 19 September 2009. Retrieved 16 April 2008.