From Shop Class to Flat Track: CTE Students Build Race-Ready Harley
Key Highlights
- High school students are tasked with transforming a Harley-Davidson Nightster into a flat track race motorcycle in just 174 days
- Legendary racers like Scott Parker, Chris Carr, and Kenny Coolbeth Jr. serve as mentors throughout the project
- Industry partners such as Harley-Davidson, Milwaukee, and DEWALT provide tools, parts, and safety equipment to support the build
NASHVILLE, TN — Northern Tool + Equipment has kicked off the Legends Build: Student Challenge, a nine-month project where high school career and technical education (CTE) students will transform a stock 2025 Harley-Davidson Nightster into a race-ready, XR750-inspired flat track motorcycle—guided by some of the most respected names in American racing and fabrication.
CTE Students Surprised With a High-Stakes Build
When the students first gathered, they only knew they had been selected for a project. Their surprise came when legendary racer Scott Parker rode in on a Harley-Davidson XR750, announcing they would have just 174 days to create a competition-ready version of their own. The challenge immerses students in American Flat Track racing—an iconic tradition defined by speed, grit, and raw mechanical skill.
Legends Provide Hands-On Mentorship
The class won’t be working alone. Industry greats—including Parker, Chris Carr, Kenny Coolbeth Jr., and Billy Lane—will mentor the students through the entire build.
“The students had their theories—some of them pretty wild—and they were all wrong,” said Jason Bowers, the CTE teacher leading the project. “When we saw Scott Parker ride up on a flat track race motorcycle, we stood there with our jaws open. Now, we’re realizing just how tough this sport is—and how much the motorcycle we’re building matters to a racer’s success.”
Industry Support Builds the Shop
Northern Tool + Equipment and partners—including American Flat Track, Boswell’s Harley-Davidson, DEWALT, Harley-Davidson Motor Company and Milwaukee—have stocked the school’s shop with tens of thousands of dollars in donated tools, parts, and safety equipment to jump-start the project.
“At Northern Tool, we believe in putting tools in hands and confidence in hearts,” said Frank Crowson, Chief Marketing Officer, Northern Tool + Equipment. “The Legends Build is more than a motorcycle—it’s a demonstration of how much the trades matter, that they’re rewarding, and that the next generation can carry this torch forward. I love that this year, the torch will be carried by our first female build captain.”
Building on a Legacy of Trade-Focused Projects
This year’s challenge continues Northern Tool’s growing tradition of pairing students with icons of racing and fabrication. In 2023, the company teamed up with NASCAR Legend Richard Petty and Billy Lane’s Sons of Speed program to introduce students to the art of building and racing. This year, NASCAR veteran Kyle Petty joins the effort, serving as host of a YouTube series documenting the students’ progress.
“Racing builds character, but building the bike builds a future,” said Kyle Petty.
Student Storytellers Take the Lead
For the first time, students will capture their own progress on camera—sharing the highs, lows, mistakes, and breakthroughs from inside the shop. Monthly video updates will appear on Northern Tool’s YouTube channel, alongside student-created social media content.
The finished motorcycle will debut June 6 at Tennessee National Raceway during an American Flat Track Legends exhibition race. Following the event, it will be auctioned to benefit the Tools for the Trades™ program, Kyle Petty’s Victory Junction nonprofit, and the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.