High School Students Build Motorcycle with Racing Legends, Earn Victory Lap at Tennessee Flat Track Event.

The student-built motorcycle will make its first lap June 6 at Sons of Speed Nashville Short Track before a sold-out crowd 

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn., June 4, 2026 — Today, 15 Tennessee career and technical education (CTE) students from LaVergne High School revealed their track-ready Harley-Davidson XR750-inspired motorcycle at the Murfreesboro Northern Tool + Equipment store. 

Celebrating the Student Build Team 

Today, after 174 days of hard work, problem-solving and perseverance, students from LaVergne High School unveiled the motorcycle they built as part of Northern Tool + Equipment’s Legends Build: Student Challenge.

 

Working alongside industry mentors and motorcycle legends, the students overcame fabrication challenges, electrical setbacks and tight deadlines to transform a new Harley-Davidson Nightster into a one-of-a-kind Flat Track-inspired race bike.

 

The project came down to the wire, but the team delivered.

 

The unveiling marked the culmination of nine months of effort and the beginning of the motorcycle’s next chapter — including a victory lap ridden by Flat Track legend Chris Carr and a future display at SEMA, the world’s largest automotive aftermarket trade show.

“Even though many people thought we couldn’t make it happen, we put in the time and effort and got it done just in time,” said Talley Barber, LaVergne High School student and build team co-captain.

 

On June 6th, the motorcycle will make its race track debut at the Sons of Speed Nashville Short Track, where it will run a victory lap before the American Flat Track races.

 

“It’s awesome to see how proud the kids are of what they accomplished! Most adults couldn’t tackle this. I’m truly impressed to see this bike done and am proud to ride it around the track on Saturday,” said build mentor and American Flat Track legend, Chris Carr.

 

 

Northern Tool + Equipment’s Commitment to Supporting the Trades 

The Legends Build: Student Challenge highlights Northern Tool + Equipment’s commitment to igniting a passion for the trades with the next generation by putting professional-grade tools in the hands of high school CTE students and investing in future tradespeople with unique learning experiences and industry mentorship. The retailer’s investment has already impacted more than 30 schools across the country, including two previous builds, the Monster Jam® Mini Build and Rat Rod Kart Build Off.

 

“What these students accomplished is incredible, and proof that the trades can offer dynamic and rewarding career paths,” said Frank Crowson, Chief Commercial Officer at Northern Tool + Equipment.

 

This build was possible with several incredible partners: Baileigh Industrial, BLOCKHEAD, Bubba Boswell, Dave Perewitz, DEWALT, Drag Specialties, Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Milwaukee, NAMZ Custom Cycle Products and RACER. 

 

Sons of Speed Founder and build mentor Billy Lane said, “I’m lucky enough to say this was my second Northern Tool Student Build, so far, but will also say, this is the first time I thought the build team wouldn’t get it done. It was dicey for a bit. Fast forward to today and I’m so proud of this group of students. They buckled down, got after it and made it happen.” 

 

What’s Next?

Think the story ends here? Not even close.

This fall, tune in to RACER Network for an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at The Legends Build through a first-of-its-kind television series documenting the challenges, setbacks, wins and teamwork that brought the motorcycle to life.

And the journey doesn’t stop there. Following its victory lap, the student-built motorcycle will head to SEMA, the world’s largest automotive aftermarket trade show, where it will be displayed in the prestigious Builder Showcase alongside motorcycles and vehicles built by some of the industry’s most recognized names.

About Northern Tool + Equipment:

Northern Tool + Equipment is a family-owned company serving both DIYers and trades professionals tackling the tough projects. A leading supplier of more than 150,000 high-quality tools and equipment for over 45 years, the company’s highly-trained team has an immense breadth of knowledge to help customers in-person at more than 130 retail stores, online and over the phone through their fully-staffed contact center. From helping customers get the right tool for the job to assisting with parts and repairs that keep tools running at peak performance, customer service is at the foundation of Northern Tool’s mission. Learn more about Northern Tool + Equipment at NorthernTool.com and stay connected through social media: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X (Twitter), YouTube and Pinterest.

 

Billy Lane, Sons of Speed Founder & Build Mentor

“I’m lucky enough to say this was my second Northern Tool Student Build, so far, but will also say, this is the first time I thought the build team wouldn’t get it done. It was dicey for a bit. Fast forward to today, and I am so proud of this group of students. They buckled down, got after it and made it happen.”

 

“Like most high school shop classes, LaVergne wasn’t equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, which allowed me to teach them old skills techniques— using cardboard to create patterns, introduce them to new tools, like an English Wheel, while also sharing my passion for custom motorcycle building with them.”

 

“This group of students showed advanced skills in welding, problem solving and sheer will to make anything happen. The future is bright for all of them. I believe most, if not all, are choosing to pursue a career in the trades.”

 

Chris Carr, 7-Time AMA Grand National Champion & Build Mentor

“I’m truly impressed to see this bike done and ready to hit the track. When it seemed like the deck was stacked against them, these students stepped up and made it happen.”

 

“Throughout the build, I checked in with the team and helped them navigate what it takes to build a race-ready bike, which is very different from a street bike, especially when designing to align with racer body positioning. A lot of time was spent to make sure it was right, including cutting and redoing, but to the team’s credit, they did it!”

 

“It’s awesome to see how proud the kids are of what they accomplished! Most adults couldn’t tackle this – so big props to them.”

 

Kyle Petty, Racing Legend & Presenter

“I’m proud to be a part of this legendary build and to see the work the students did. I spent months watching them work on this, and truthfully, I wasn’t sure they’d finish. But they’re a scrappy group and they pulled it off, and I’m grateful to have been able to help tell their story.” 

 

“When we kicked this off, we talked about how it feels like there is more than enough time to complete the build, but I told them, don’t let that fool you. Build time is short; don’t let race day sneak up on you. And it did. They fell behind. Twice! But they got back up, focused as a team and pushed through. That attitude is how they got this build done.”

 

“I don’t want to see a time when kids don’t love to work with their hands. I can’t imagine a world without tinkering in the garage or changing my own oil on the driveway. And these kids prove there’s still an interest.”

 

Frank Crowson, Chief Commercial Officer, Northern Tool + Equipment 

“We work to light a spark with the next generation at the high school level in their Career & Technical Education (CTE) classes. Donating professional-grade tools and equipment prepares them for real-world job sites and situations.” 

 

“More young Americans than ever are earning vocational degrees. There’s momentum to build up the trades workforce. The Legends Build: Student Challenge supports that pipeline by investing in high school CTE classrooms and inspiring the next generation. We’re amazed by the work these students did! They stepped up to the challenge and crushed it.”

 

Talley Barber, Student Build Co-Captain, LaVergne High School

“We’re most proud of getting the project done! It was down to the wire getting this bike finished. Even though there were times we thought we couldn’t make it happen, we put in the work and got it done just in time.”

 

“When this build started, we were just a group of kids in the same class. Somewhere along the way, that changed. We became friends. Really good friends. We joke around, push each other to be better, argue sometimes, and probably drive each other crazy once in a while. But honestly, we’re family now. Building this bike brought us together, and that’s something none of us expected when this all started.”

 

Ronan Garrison, Student Build Co-Captain, LaVergne High School

“Some of the best parts of this build have been the welding, getting our hands dirty and getting to work with legendary motorcycle industry mentors like Billy Lane and Scott Parker.”

 

“This wasn’t just about finishing the bike – it was about getting it race-ready. And we did just that! Our team can’t wait to see it race at the Sons of Speed Nashville Short Track this weekend.”

 

Jason Bowers, CTE Instructor

“Seeing how Northern Tool, Billy Lane, Scott Parker and other industry legends and greats have supported us and helped out is incredible. It really felt like we had a community rallying around us and cheering us on the whole way.”

 

“The students are going to carry this experience with them forever, and it will only make them better workers in the future.”

“The welding class at LaVergne is only two years old, when Northern Tool called and asked if we’d be interested in taking on a yearlong build AND they’d provide us with tools and equipment that gets to stay in the shop class— we knew it was going to be hard, maybe even too hard, but the opportunity to give students hands-on experience while building a stronger trades program for years to come was simply too good to pass up. So we said yes — and we’ve never looked back.”