Harvick donates $25K worth of tools to North High's automotive program

Jan. 20—Not too long ago, North High automotive teacher John Radman brought tools from his home so that his students could use them because there was such a need in the program.

Well, that is until recently, when auto racing star Kevin Harvick, a North High alumnus, donated $25,000 in GearWrench tools.

"We went from kind of having nothing," Radman said, "to having everything."

Radman, who is in his first year at North High and also teaches construction and welding, said more students want to participate in the automotive program. Before, there was hardly a draw, he said, and there weren't enough tools for multiple students to work on projects. But that has all changed.

Radman, who graduated from Centennial High in 2002, has a meaningful connection to the Harvick family. When Radman was younger he worked for Harvick's father, Mike, at his auto shop for four years. There was a high school racing program that included a racing series at the former Mesa Marin Speedway (now Kern County Raceway Park). That initially led him to meet and work for Mike Harvick, Radman said.

"I was sweeping the floors at his shop and he taught me how to fix cars," Radman said. "Now I'm teaching other kids how to work on cars."

Radman said he received the news about Kevin Harvick's donation about a month ago. He communicated with a GearWrench representative when picking out the tools that arrived late last week.

The Kern High School District touted the news in its "Weekly Wrap-up" video on Friday. "We didn't have a place to store the tools for a long time," Hanna Weiss, a North High senior, says in the video. "Instead of our tools being in a cardboard box, they can be in a nice new toolbox. ... I just thought it was really amazing that when we received the donation, that we were able to put it towards automotive tools, because that's what we had the least of."

Radman said the donation has "revitalized" the program and there is an expectation of more than 200 students wanting to join the program.

He added that North and KHSD have been supportive and instrumental in improving the automotive and workshop classes at the school.

Harvick, who announced last week that the 2023 season would be his final NASCAR campaign, has a history of donating to his alma mater.

In 2008, he helped out the North wrestling team with fundraising for a new fieldhouse. Five years later, he again gave the athletic department a boost with new equipment for the boys and girls golf teams.

Without the support of Bakersfield, "I don't even get started," he told The Californian this week.