Cameron Hill relishes chance to team with Harry and Lewis Bates at Bathurst 1000

With his usual event the Porsche Carrera Cup cancelled, Toyota asked if the Canberran was interested in driving one of their guest cars at Mount Panorama.

The humble chance to compete in the Toyota 86 Series was one Hill relished, having sat on the sidelines since the cancellation of the Australian Grand Prix.

But little did Hill know he'd be driving alongside rally stars Harry and Lewis Bates, who grew up just suburbs away in Tuggeranong.

"They like the dirt and I like the bitumen...[so] I didn't expect to be in a team with them, no. It was pretty cool to race together in Bathurst, all being from Canberra," Hill smiled.

"It was pretty special and a lot of fun. They both did really well, I had the slight advantage having raced at Bathurst before and spent a lot of time in the 86 Series as well. They kept me honest, they had me worried at a few points throughout the weekend but I managed to get the job done."

MORE CANBERRA SPORT

Hill led the charge to Toyota Gazoo and placed second overall in the four-race series, while Harry and Lewis finished sixth and seventh respectively.

It was the Bates brothers' first time racing at Mount Panorama, where they grew up watching their father and four-times rally champion Neal Bates compete.

Few other places could be as daunting for Lewis than the iconic Bathurst track for his Toyota 86 Series debut, having spent most of his career in a rally car.

The 23-year-old felt more nervous lining up on Pit Straight than for a rally, but was pleased to finish inside the top 10 on his one-make series debut.

"I feel like I was thrown right into the deep end, I actually really enjoyed it. It's probably as close to rallying as it gets for us," Lewis said.

"It's actually pretty daunting going around the first lap, the walls are closer than what you think and the track is a lot steeper than what it looks like on TV. But you slowly get used to it and work up your speed, it becomes enjoyable once you get your head around it.

"I was really happy to be inside the top 10 at the end of the weekend. It was better than all my expectations."

He's keen for another opportunity to get back into the racing car and have a chance of topping his elder brother.

"A couple more laps and I reckon I would have had him," he smiled.

"It was good to race Harry again. He got the better of me that weekend, but look out next time."

His first chance will come at next month's National Capital Rally, which will be held in the forests surround Canberra on November 27-29.

It will be the only national-status event to be held this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, with Harry Bates eager to defend his home title.

"It's like straight from one event and into the another. I'm very excited about the National Capital Rally in a month's time," he said.

"I'm very excited to get back into my Yaris rally car and looking forward to hopefully defending our National Capital Rally title."