Whilst Neal has achieved more success in the Australian Rally Championship, winning it four times, Rick has won two major cross country events in a nine-year span.

In 1997, Bates won the Panama to Alaska rally driving a Porsche 911 with his co-driver Jenny Brittan.

Then, he drove at China Rally 1999, this time in a Volkswagen Jetta GTX, but he retired on the fifth special stage.

In both occasions, he was co-driven by Jenny Brittan with whom he won the Panama to Alaska rally in 1997.

The former event saw him race with his twin brother Neal who scored points with an eighth-place finish.