Starting in 2001, my laboratory has been involved in the Le Mans Project, developing racing engines and a working race car. In that time, over 150 students have participated in the project - all of them passionate about the ultimate goal of entering a car in the Le Mans endurance race. In 2008, the dream will finally come true. A university has never entered a car in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Our participation is truly a world’s-first. I believe Tokai University will forever be etched in the history of Le Mans. However, this remarkable accomplishment is not due to our efforts alone. We have received encouragement from countless supporters through the years, and I would like to thank them all deeply from the bottom of my heart.

There are many people of the opinion that our project should be for education and research purposes only. That there is no need to go as far as entering the car in the actual race. I believe, however, that learning to design a racing engine and a race car in the classroom and learning by actually building are as different as night and day. There is also a big difference between merely building a car and entering that car in a real race. Even if the students succeed in building a car merely for academic reasons, it doesn’t make a difference if it drives fast or immediately falls apart. This approach leads only to personal satisfaction or dissatisfaction. But if they build a car with the intention of winning a race, they had better make sure it doesn’t fall apart after the first lap. With this goal in mind, the students gain practical skills as opposed to just textbook knowledge. Through their experience with Le Mans, race cars and engines, students can draw on the academic knowledge they already possess, reminding them of the importance of fundamental scholarship. They are also given the chance to discover areas in which they need to improve.

Unlike with companies, new students come and go every year. As I mentioned, over 150 students have participated in the project through the years. In an ordinary research lab environment, a student completes a year in the lab, gaining one year of experience. The next year, they are replaced by another student, resetting the experience meter back to zero. However, in our case, the ordinary research model would never succeed in achieving our ultimate goal - entering a car in the Le Mans endurance race. Our challenge was to maintain the high level of our research even when team members came and went. We solved this problem by implementing a strict system: students leaving the project had to write in detail about what they struggled with and how they arrived at their conclusions so new students could pick up where they left off. In 2005, we completed the study car and succeeded in gathering detailed data through test drives on a circuit. These tests proved invaluable in preparing for Le Mans. For that reason, this year’s participation at Le Mans is not only the result of the efforts of students currently enrolled in the research lab, but the combined efforts of all 150 students since 2001. I want students who have already graduated to take pride in this achievement as well.

Of all the races we could have participated in, I chose Le Mans because it is a 24-hour endurance race. In a race lasting a full day, teamwork is of the utmost importance. The technological aspect is also important, but the real challenge comes with the concentration required, making for a grueling mental aspect to this race. There are 86,400 seconds in 24 hours. Students can’t break their concentration for even one of those seconds. I want them to fully appreciate the value of each and every one. I believe this priceless experience is sure to change some of the students’ outlook on life and serve them well in the future - no matter what they choose to do.