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March 2021 13 It had taken a few years before I had the me to move forward with some small produc ons, but in 2010 I was told that Preston was coming to the ISDT Reunion Ride in Coombs, Arkansas. My chance had come to finally see Preston again a er all these years, and to show him what we had done so far with the products that he designed and had pre- viously built. One of the proudest days of my life was that day when Preston came to look at our parts that I had laid out for him. As he was inspec ng the parts, he asked me, "Will these pass the Preston test"? I replied, "What is the Preston test?" He said to me hand me one of those fenders and he will show me. To my as- tonishment, he took one of our new MX front fenders and bent it, twisted it and worked it for what felt like a life me. He let the fender go, and it went back into shape without breaking or cracking. He gave me the thumbs-up and said it passed the Preston test. By 2014 we needed a new tool for the MX front fend- er, and as usual I had solicited Preston's advice. He suggested Medway Plas cs in Long Beach, whom he had done work with many years ago. The new tool was produced, and Preston offered and I gladly and proud- ly accepted to have him oversee the first of the new produc on Preston Pe y fenders. I believe that this was a great moment for Preston as it certainly was for us. Over the coming years I al- ways ran ideas and thoughts by him for his opinions and his advice. Nothing that we did went without his help and advice. I will greatly miss those calls, but when I think about him I smile. Several years back, I asked Preston how he dealt with the Sco bankruptcy of Preston Pe y Products. His response was, "Paul, I am a simple man with simple means." Knowing all that Preston had accom- plished in his life, it was a life well lived. There will be a Celebra on of Life for Preston this fall at the Hopetown Reunion on October 2. The Hopetown track is located in Simi Valley, California. Preston Petty and Paul Stannard Photo By Ken Smith of VMX Magazine Preston Petty and Paul Stannard Photo By Ken Smith of VMX Magazine Preston Petty Products Newburg, Oregon Preston Petty Products Newburg, Oregon