The 2023 Backbone Hillclimb (aka Mt Alma) was run on the weekend of 13-14/05/2023 on Mt Alma Road in the Inman Valley, South Australia.  Over 100 drivers competed in the event with some drivers sharing cars.  The event had no been run for a few years after the highly successful 10 year span previously.  The cars/drivers would be split into two “packets” of cars completing their run up the hill and returning back down the hill before the next packet did.  Each driver would complete a number of runs up the hill with their fastest counting towards placings (ie not accumulative times).  Five seconds would be added onto their time for every bollard hit.  There were 2 chicanes containing bollards.

At the pointy end with hillclimb specialist cars of Modified Vehicle/4WD it was going to be contested by Kevin Mackrell in his “Viagra” hybrid Datsun 260Z V8 AWD monster, the 1000hp Subaru WRX of Dan Day and perhaps the Nissan GTR R35 of Nick Streckeisen.  Both Mackrell and Dan Day had won hillclimbs before, with Kevin having won the Mt Alma Hillclimb several times in the iconic purple beast.  They traded fastest times over the weekend with Mackrell (42.760 secs, ##115) just edging out Dan Day (43.040 secs, #114)  to take the honours.  Behind them were Doug Johnson (Subaru WRX, #106) just under 44 secs, Henry Beasley (Mistsubishi Evo Lancer, #73), Streckeisen (Nissan GTR R35, #110) and Sean Day, father of Dan in the beautiful 22B Subaru (#107).

Improved Vehicles/4WD category – 1. Gav Farley (#49), 2. Jake Brackenridge (#61), 3. Harrison Lodge (#46)

Standard Vehicles/4WD category – 1. Ben Rohrlach (#16), 2. Ashley Blanchard (#35), 3. Shannon Duce (#12)

Combined 2WD – 1. Andrew Campbell (#84), 2. Anthony Norris (#29), 3. Glenn Latter (#89), 4. Nathan Dale (#30), 5. Greg Bowden (#87), 6. Jason Jordan (#88)

Womens category – 1. Tania Langcake (#44), 2. Emma Branum (#70 sharing with mum Sandra #18), 3. Kylie Howard (#72), 4, Sandra Branum (#18), 5. Zoe Rule (#27)

The photos are taken from the first 3 runs of the Saturday of the event.

Please note these photos displayed here are only random single photos of each car that completed each of the first 3 runs.  All cars/drivers have photos of similar angles etc displayed here available for purchase.  Drop me an email via the website for more information.

1st Run – Packet 1

1st Run – Packet 2

2nd Run – Packet 1

2nd Run – Packet 2

3rd Run – Packet 1

3rd Run – Packet 2