He considered The Racer to be the finest roller coaster he ever built. It was billed as the most spectacular, longest, fastest and highest leading up to its opening, and the largest that Allen had built. The Racer was the first roller coaster structurally build on the ground with prefabricated sections lifted into position and bolted. In 1982, one side of The Racer was transformed into the world’s first full-length, backwards traveling roller coaster, offering a unique ride experience that lasted for 26 seasons. In addition to acting as the catalyst for other potential high-capacity racing coasters including Racer 75 (formerly Rebel Yell) at Kings Dominion and Gemini at Cedar Point, The Racer has also been the site of several world-record riding attempts and is notable for its appearance in the “Cincinnati Kids” episode of The Brady Bunch, filmed at the park in 1973. The ride’s instant popularity sparked a roller coaster renaissance that has yet to slow down a half-century later. Then along came The Racer with the opening of Kings Island in 1972. By 1965, only about 200 of the 2,000 roller coasters built through the 1920s remained in operation. Literally hundreds of roller coaster built from 1890-1930 met the fate of the wrecking ball. Prior to The Racer, the demand for roller coasters, and more specifically wooden roller coasters, had been in decline since the Great Depression. In one coaster they had: high capacity, graceful aesthetics, and one of the best rides in the country. Kings Island management, in one of the industry's best moves, got exactly what they needed in The Racer. His design was truly inspirational, a twin-tracked, out and back racing coaster, unlike no other ever built. He accepted and was commissioned to design and supervise the construction which began in 1970. The Racer are twin racing wooden roller coasters at Kings Island in Ohio.That was the opinion of the renowned John Allen of the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, whose “baby” was The Racer roller coaster at Kings Island.Īllen was asked about the possibility of building a new roller coaster for Kings Island when plans to build the park began in 1969. Kings Island’s opening day on April 29, 1972, brought cold rains and a relatively meager crowd of 4,000 visitors to check out the new amusement park along Interstate 71 just north of Cincinnati. It debuted at the parks grand opening in 1972. and bands and singers greeted those who wanted to be among the first to see the place. The weather looked promising, with sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-60s. Besides the Beast also has The Racer, a twin wooden coaster that is credited for sparking the 'coaster renaissance' when it opened with the park in 1972. Then, just after midday, the rains arrived. rides, and oddly enough, a de-emphasis on live entertainment due to budget cuts in the mid-2000s. With Cedar Fair, Kings Island has re-emphasized cleaniness. “Not everything at Kings Island was quite ready for the opening,” Cincinnati Enquirer reporter Jim Knippenberg wrote in the April 30, 1972, edition. Kings Islands Racer is an 'out and back' traditional wooden racing coaster with two tracks that mirror each other. “The trees were still brown and bare, many of the rides didn’t have their name on them yet. The park is celebrating its golden 50th anniversary this year. Its also credited for beginning the second golden age of the roller coaster. Today’s Kings Island has eight themed areas, including Soak City Water Park, and over 100 rides, attractions and shows. When Kings Island premiered in April 1972, the park had fewer areas and way fewer rides and attractions. Though Kings Island looks different today, much of the. Some were running slow, not quite yet up to par.” In 1982, the trains on one track were turned around to travel backwards, making Racer the first backwards racing coaster in the world. Still, those opening-day glitches did not seem to dampen enthusiasm for the thrills and attractions Kings Island offered, with Knippenberg noting that although crowds were thin, there was a noticeable line in front of The Racer, one of the highlights of the new park. The classic, out-and-back wooden roller coaster offered twin tracks upon which the Red Racer and Blue Racer ran simultaneously, reaching speeds of more than 50 miles per hour. Visitors also lined up to ride to the top of the scale replica of the Eiffel Tower, standing 330 feet tall just beyond the amusement park’s main entrance. “From the top you can see all of Kings Island,” Knippenberg noted, “and a big chunk of the countryside.”Īn opening celebration was planned for a month later, on May 27, 1972. An article previewing the event in The Cincinnati Post noted it would kick off with “the most magnificent Grand Parade of the century,” starting at 10:01 a.m.
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