Atomic City Talk

The combination of motorsports, alternative energy and Oak Ridge have never had such tremendous potential.

On January 13th in Detroit the American Le Mans Series, the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Society of Automotive Engineers International announced a “Green Initiative” in motorsports to promote alternative energy. On March 15th cellulosic ethanol will make its racing debut with the General Motors/Corvette team at the 56th Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. Clean bio-diesel will be renewing a 200 mph grudge match between Audi and Peugeot. Toyota has a hybrid race car in the works. Many of the exotic materials used in these race cars were developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratories. This new rapid development laboratory for materials and energy is following the same innovative path that brought us rear view mirrors, seat belts, disc brakes and fuel injection.

There is a window of opportunity to take advantage of.

The transition of federal properties to the private sector creates an important opportunity to take the former K-25 site in Oak Ridge and create an internationally recognized motorsports facility. Bringing automotive manufacturers from Italy, Germany, Japan, Great Britain and the USA to compete on a former Manhattan Project site will make an important statement. This new stage for international motorsports will resonate with the world and brand the Innovation Valley as the epicenter of alternative energy research. It is a message that can be created by use of the Tennessee Sports Authority Act and it is time for Oak Ridge to seize this opportunity.

The economics of this prospect will improve persistent issues that Oak Ridge wishes to resolve. Revenue, taxes, jobs and historic preservation.

"The American Le Mans Series represents a tremendous opportunity to demonstrate and educate consumers about alternative fuels and innovative, efficient automotive technologies in an interesting and dynamic way that captures the public's attention. These subjects are driven home and made real and pertinent when consumers see some of the fastest racing cars on the circuit competing with E85 or clean diesel. The fact that manufacturers are already actively competing with these alternative fuels makes our association with the Series a natural fit. We also hope that other automotive manufacturers will enter and compete with exciting new technologies they have developed - technologies that will not just make them competitive on the race circuit, but in the consumer automotive market, as well."
— Ed Wall
Program Manager, Vehicle Technologies Program, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

*formerly Thousand Suns Int’l Road Course

Eric:

Please tell us more. I understand that you want to bring a race track to the K-25 site. Where are you in the process of organizing your effort? Do you have Race Series committments in hand that would allow you to determine a minimum level of economic impact to the area? What is your expertise in the area of motorsports? Is the community expected to participate in the financing of this project? Etc., Etc.

It is difficult to get any commitments, financially or otherwise, with the situation regarding the property still undecided. There is strong support from local businesses, especially hotels and restaurants. Historic preservation is a key marketing tool that will help distinguish this motorsports facility from any other. The Honda Hoot provides an ideal platform for scheduling a national event with the AMA Pro Racing Series and they have concurred with a letter of intent. The President of the American Le Mans Series has visited the site and has indicated support if things progress. The real "bread and butter" for this sort of facility are driving school, club events, track rental and manufacturers that will utilize the facility almost year round. Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham has been a huge success since it opened in 2000. Estimates by the B'ham Chamber of Commerce put economic impact at near $100 million annually. Community financial support is just one possibility and will only increase interest from investors that are already expressing interest. The Tennessee Sports Authority Act allows state taxes to go towards payment of a bond. This is how the Titans stadium was built. It is an option. My expertise lies in facility management and many years of competing in motorcycle roadracing throughout the South East. I know what it takes to create special evetns that attract tickets buyers. They want a unique experience with quality competition. A unique experience is something that Oak Ridge can offer like few other communities.

Thank you for the question.

I gotta tell you, as a motor sports enthusiast, I love the idea. I loved it when it was floated a few months back. I was under the impression that there had been a decision made not to proceed. Am I wrong?

It seems to me that this would be a great place for a motorsports complex. There are no real road tracks for hours in any direction. It could easily be developed to accommodate cart racing, too. That's a hot sport.

Or how about an endurance race - the 24 Hours of Gaseous Diffusion. Maybe not....

Or, there is the often suggested Uranium 235.

No decision has been made. There seems to be a number of eroneous rumors around town.

This is basically a grass-roots effort to bring a valuable resource to Oak Ridge that is not dependent on the federal government. There is tremendous support from community business leaders. Obviously the motels and restaurants are keen on the idea. Filling their parking lots with Porsches, BMWs and Aston Martins will be a boon to the local economy. The sports car community in Tennessee is ecstatic about the idea.

As a native Oak Ridger and resident, I have serious concerns with current circumstances in Oak Ridge. School bus service, AMSE, downtown are not the way they used to be, largely due to the closing of K-25 in 1987. The local economy has never fully recovered.

When you look at all the aspects of international motorsports in Oak Ridge, it makes a lot of sense for all parties. Even for historic preservation. I have serious concerns about the current proposals for preservation and the long-term repercussions that it will mean for the community. Inflated tourism attendance numbers and no long-term plan for maintenance expenditures to keep a portion of the K-25 building is a risk that Oak Ridge should be seriously questioning. More handouts from the federal government is not the answer.

Would the combination of preserving the north tower and building a world class race track not work? I am a race enthusiast also, and think that having both, with a museum would be a great draw. Can the two ideas not coexist?

The North Tower is in our plans. The history of the site is an important feature that race fans will find intriguing. An offer was made to historic preservationists to help create some sort of revenue source at major events. They were not interested. It may be too late for them now.

Have you had a sit down with Mr. Ross of Rarity Ridge, and if so, where does he stand on the track?

What kind of response have you had from the city and other organizations in town? It seems that there was some conversation/news report about the track several months ago, and then it just went away. Besides your ad in the Observer, what is you plan of attack in trying to move this project forward?

In 2006 a noise study was performed by a certified analyst from Tennessee Tech University. It was funded by the University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Services. It was presented at the Pollard Building to Rarity Communities, Mayor Bradshaw, CROET, DOE and the IDB. She concluded that boats on the Clinch River would be more of a nuisance. Representatives of Rarity Communities indicated their approval at that time.

Responses from civic leaders have been from neutral to supportive. The reason for efforts that "just went away" was because of delays in the clean-up of the site.

We continue to develop relations between major motorsports institutions and Oak Ridge National Labs. We feel that the promotion of the development of alternative fuels and creating more efficient automobiles is going to be a primary mission of motorsports in Oak Ridge. We continue to gain support from civic and state officials along with the pursuit of finances. A feasibility study and economic impact study should be completed within the year.

I have to admire the marketing creativity of the racetrack proponents, but whenever I hear the concept of auto racing to reduce petroleum dependence I am reminded of a bit of old anti-Vietnam-War rhetoric that started out "fighting for peace is like...". The new analogy goes something like "racing cars to reduce petroleum use is like fornicating for chastity."

It's undeniable that motorsports has been an important driver in improving automotive technology. Also, it's great to hear about ongoing efforts to use motorsports to demonstrate and educate consumers about alternative fuels. However, as Sam Venable said in his News Sentinel column today, when Americans are truly serious about reducing gas prices, automobile races will cease "attracting fans by the multiplied millions."

Sorry, but Oak Ridge should not try to hitch its economic future to an industry whose very existence is inconsistent with a sustainable future.