Seventy-five years down the track Mr King is still passionate about Port Kembla and the derby being held in the heart of the suburb on Saturday, November 28.

‘’I live in Albion Park Rail now but I’ll always be a Port boy at heart,’’ the 89-year-old said.

And, a Port boy is exactly what Mr King was back in 1940 when a local chemist by the name of Mr Horan asked him to ride in the inaugural Port Kembla Billy Cart Derby.

‘’I can’t remember his [chemist] first name but I remember we called the billy cart The Roaring Horan,’’ he said.

‘’I didn’t go that well. I think I won one heat race but that’s about it.’’

Lack of race success hasn’t stopped Mr King and his wife of 64 years, Margaret, attend every billy cart derby at Wentworth Street.

‘’Our wedding anniversary is around the same time but the derby always takes priority,’’ only half-joked Mr King.

‘’We will be there on Saturday again. It’s always a great day.’’

Mr King did his apprenticeship as a butcher in Port Kembla before running Roy King Sport’s Store in the suburb for a number of years.

He also resurrected the billy cart derby back in the 1970’s during his stint as president of the Port Kembla of Chamber of Commerce.

‘’I remember they [committee] laughed when I told them it would bring 5000 people to the town. Some 15,000 people lined Wentworth Street that year,’’ Mr King said.

He also remembers when Wentworth Street was just a dirt track. ‘’They only fixed it just before the first billy cart derby,’’ he said. ‘’Back then we used to race three cars abreast. Port was a happening place back then. It’s been in the doldrums of late but it is good to see things are starting to get much better now thanks to events such as the billy cart derby.’’

A Rockabilly Festival featuring music, markets, rides and amusements will also highlight Port Kembla Billy Cart Derby’s 75th anniversary event from 8.30am-5pm.

Click through the gallery above.

Port Kembla Billy Cart Derby, November 28, Wentworth Street, Port Kembla.