In a combination that will contend for honours in the Bathurst 12 Hour's newly-formed Silver Cup Class, Tony Bates will be joined by Geoff Emery, Max Twigg and Dylan O'Keeffe in the Melbourne Performance Centre-prepared Audi R8 LMS.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Emery and Twigg both have impressive credentials in GT3 machines; Emery has won the last three Australian GT Championships, while Twigg took out the 2018 Australian Endurance Championship.
Meanwhile, 21-year-old Dylan O'Keeffe is one of the rising stars of the sport, finishing as the highest-placed rookie in last year's Super2 Series and winning multiple races in TCR Australia.
"All four of us have spent a lot of time together in motorsport, but we're also good friends off the track - the team environment will be positive and fun, which will bring out the best in our driving," Bates said.
"Geoff and I have a long history in motorsport together, dating back to when I first started racing in Commodore Cup and we were team-mates under the TAG Motorsport banner.
"Max and I have also had some ripper battles over the years, in Carrera Cup and Australian GT.
"I gave Dylan his first test in a Porsche race car when he was only 16, and it's been satisfying to watch his recent success in categories like Super2 and TCR.
"Across the four of us, we have the right combination of youthful enthusiasm, speed, race-craft, consistency and endurance experience."
O'Keeffe said it's not only exciting to have an opportunity to drive a GT3 car at the Mount, but it will be great to do so alongside a long time supporter.
"It's been a while since I've driven a full-blown GT3 car, and I'm really excited to experience the breathtaking corner speeds over the top of the Mountain," O'Keeffe told Supercars.com.
"There's nothing like the feeling of heading through Reid Park and Sulman Park, with your foot flat on the accelerator, the concrete walls a couple of centimetres away, and the sensation of the aero hugging you to the road.
"Tony played an important part in the very early stages of my career; he was the one who gave me my very first test in a tin-top race car - when I was fresh out of go-karts, he let me drive his Porsche Carrera Cup car.
"To now be driving alongside him, in one of the biggest races of the year, will be very cool and I'm most thankful to him."
