Police said Mr Marsden was involved in a row with a group of people, including Ward, in which one member suffered an injury to his lip and tooth.
Ward and his friends then gathered in a 4×4 before the vehicle was driven at Mr Marsden, who jumped out of the way.
Later, while behind the wheel, Ward again drove at Mr Marsden and struck him, before the vehicle then reversed over him, causing fatal injuries.
Mr Marsden’s mother told the court in a written statement: “In just 14 months, I’ve lost both my husband and now my youngest, Kirk, who was tragically taken from us.
“The pain is beyond words. I’m broken. My heart is shattered.
“What makes it harder is that it happened over Christmas, a time meant for family, joy and love.”
She said her son had been “a devoted father” and her “heart aches for my grandchildren”.
Mr Marsden’s partner Leanne said: “Our whole lives have been destroyed, we are broken and struggling to cope with day-to-day living, we have lost our rock, our hero, all we have left are memories.”
Det Ch Insp Bryony Midgley, of Lancashire Police, said: “James Ward killed Kirk Marsden in a senseless act of violence that has no place on the streets of Lancashire.
“While no sentence can ever make up for a life that has been taken, I hope Kirk’s family take some solace knowing that the man responsible for the death of their loved one is being held accountable for his actions through this significant sentence.”