Jack raced and his Pa lost track of the number of times he walked up and down the Rossi Street hill, helping Jack get set for the next race.

They were a real team.

David did it despite the fact he was in the midst of cancer treatment.

He passed away in August the following year and never made it to the billy cart derby in 2011.

Fortunately for Jack and the many others who knew David, his spirit lives on. Rotary decided to dedicate a trophy, appropriately named the ‘Jack’s Pa’ trophy, which is awarded each year to the participant who best evokes the spirit of the billy cart derby, including good sportsmanship and just getting in and having fun.

This year’s billy cart derby again attracted a large number of entrants, young and old alike.

One man travelled from Warrnambool to compete, and another travels from Port Kembla each year, indicating that the Classic Yass Rotary Billy Cart Derby is officially ‘on the map’.

But organiser and Rotary member Kim Turner is hopeful that the event can remain grassroots.

“We want to keep it family-friendly,” he told the Tribune.

To that end, the plan is to have more prizes for novelty and art carts next year to encourage families to get together and work creatively on their carts.

Afterall, that’s what Jack’s Pa would have wanted.