KEVIN HARVICK BENEFIT FOR BAKERSFIELD KERN COUNTY NEWEST HOME TO NASCAR TRACK'S HIGH SCHOLL RACING SERIES

Source: Janet Peery / RacingWest.com
Date: 08/31/2007

THOUSAND OAKS, California -- Kevin Harvick. What really is there to say? Anyone that follows racing knows who he is. And anyone that knew Harvick before he went to NASCAR Cup knows who he is and who he was is the same.

Harvick it turns out is one of those racers that will give back to grassroots racing, and not all racers do. There are other racers that came from the West, but oft times they are found being honored more than being honored to give.

Honored to give is what Harvick was. And boy did he give. Faithfully signing autographs at the local Camping World stores, stopping by his old alma mater, North High in Oildale…and as Harvick put it, he was invited to the principal’s office and it has been a long time since being asked to go there. And then he topped off his Bakersfield visit with a benefit dinner that raised a total of $137,500…or there about.

The Kevin Harvick Benefit Dinner was held at Buck Owens Crystal Palace in Bakersfield. It looked like a whose who of the Bakersfield racing world, lots of familiar faces.

It started with a no-host Social/Cocktail hour at which time those in attendance were able to put down bids on a silent auction that featured a variety of items, from the original Mesa Marin poster to Harvick’s Reeses Pieces and Goodyear driver suits.

During dinner there was a panel which included graduates of the High School Racing Series. They shared how the program led to success in their lives, how it taught them to manage advertising and business, helped so much that they were able to start successful businesses on their own.

Then Harvick came up and answered questions from Vance Palm, track announcer, Steve Hughes and the audience. Harvick made it clear that he was there to support the Kern County Raceway, the newest home to NASCAR. The wonders of the night were not a one time deal, but were to be repeated. He shared his humble beginnings, and said how important Marion Collins and Mesa Marin were to him. Without Mesa Marin he said he would still be racing Go-Karts, because he did not have the money to race Saugus or the Tour, it was Mesa Marin that gave him the opportunity.

After a lot of really moving memories of his early years….one heck of an item went up to bid. It was a Red, White and Blue Guitar, limited edition of 1 of 2. The announcer told the audience that Harvick was there to personalize it anyway they wanted.

Then the announcer turned to Harvick and said, “What should we start the bidding at?” At Harvick’s suggestion it began at $1, 000 and went to 1, 500 to 2,000 to 2,500 and it continued up to $18,000 when someone in the audience asked if Tony Stewart could sign it, too. Harvick said sure for 20,000 he would get Smoke to sign it…and the bid went to $20,000 and then someone shouted have Delana sign it and the bid went up to 20,500 to 21, 500, to 22,000 to 22,500 and that is where the auction ended. Kevin Harvick signed the guitar for the winning bidder, a gentleman who knew Harvick as a kid…who also kept a tab for him. ;)

There are 40+ drivers in Cup, many of the drivers are winners on the track, but only a very few make sure there are still winners at the local track they came from, Harvick is one of them.

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