Voicemail (July 13, 2006)

My best educated and honorable thoughts went into the naming of Thousand Suns International Road Course. Oak Ridge helped change the course of world history and Robert Oppenheimer’s prophetic words from the Bhagavad-Gita reflected that. The power of a thousand suns should never be forgotten. Oak Ridge, Hiroshima and Nagasaki will share a bond for eternity. The name “Oak Ridge” creates images of atom bombs to many around the world. I am proud to call Oak Ridge my hometown. It has saved the lives of millions. Every year the world honors those committed to peace, with a prize whose namesake created a substance that has claimed the lives of millions. Perhaps it is not the name, but the message. When Mr. Meyer buckles his seat belt, starts his fuel-injected engine and looks in his rearview mirror, he can thank auto racing. Just like some don’t understand tennis or golf, some don’t understand motorsports. Mankind will always race. Motorsports is an incredibly entertaining test-bed for energy and materials research. That makes it a natural for the Oak Ridge National Labs. The scientists and engineers at ORNL recognize motorsports’ contribution by offering free services to race teams willing to share results. Tire manufacturers say their next big break-through will be with nanotechnology. They will test it in racing. Fuel efficiency is at the center of any smart racing strategy, particularly the longer and faster the race is. A pit stop to get more fuel means the car is stopped and not moving towards the finish line. Often the fuel resourceful car wins the race. Whether it is 100 horsepower or 900, it is all about efficient combustion. Aerodynamic drag saps energy; just look at a race car to see one of the most aero-efficient forms. Knowledge gained from a few on the race track can easily translate into more efficient cars for many. During the ‘70s fuel shortage, Formula One adopted rules that forced teams to use less fuel; a lot was learned about turbo charging. This year Audi proved at Sebring and Le Mans that gasoline is not the only way to victory. Next year, the Indianapolis 500 will be run entirely on ethanol. With a history of moonshine stills and roadracing the revenuers, Tennessee would seem a natural. It is my hope that the world’s automotive and motorcycle manufacturers will some day send their teams to race at Thousand Suns International Road Course. And, when the Japanese manufacturers arrive it will be a true honor to welcome them. I look forward to it.

Eric Wilson
Fast Visions of Tennessee, LLC, Cookeville, TN

You recently carried an article about the possibility of building a Formula 1 racetrack at the K-25 site in Oak Ridge. Although we certainly wish the advocates well in finding an East Tennessee location for such a track, we feel strongly it would not be appropriate to locate it where they presently propose—right on top of what will remain of the 60-year old historic K-25 “U”-shaped building itself. This building, now being taken down, has been widely recognized as one of the monumental engineering and construction feats in our country’s history. Not only was it enormous—at 44 acres the largest building under one roof ever-; not only very costly— at $512 million the equivalent of four Spallation Neutron Sources; and not only was the speed of construction beyond belief in today’s world (18 months), but it played a small part in helping bring peace to a world anguished by a six-year conflict. The building has now come full cycle in its life, and the majority of it is being torn down. However the long recognized importance of preserving this site as a historical significant area was last year formalized by the Department of Energy, the State of Tennessee, and the City of Oak Ridge, and our Oak Ridge Heritage & Preservation group who signed a formal memorandum of agreement on what is to be done to recognize the historical significance of the K-25 “U”. DOE has agreed to save the “footprint” of this huge “U” shaped building and to mark the corners to show its huge size and height; also to save the base building that forms the “U” together with a small amount of equipment and artifacts so that future generations can easily appreciate what a monumental engineering and scientific achievement this was. And DOE has agreed to work with the City and us to have the Department of Interior declare the “U” a National Historic Landmark so that no commercial structure will ever intrude on this historic site. The State of Tennessee’s Historic Preservation officer told me he feels this K-25 “U” site is one of our State’s top historic assets. The Congress of the United States has this year appropriated $500,000 to help in preservation of this important 60-year old-site. Placing two half-mile long race tracks right directly on top of 51 out of 54 of the historic building units would irretrievably deface the site and be harmful to the future draw of this one-of-a-kind heritage tourism destination. A location off the historic K-25 “U” site needs to be found for this venture.

William J. (Bill) Wilcox, Jr.
Oak Ridge, TN