Happy National Roller Coaster Day! I’m celebrating with a nod to the very first coaster I ever rode — The Racer at Kings Island in 1972.
Designated an ACE Roller Coaster Landmark by American Coaster Enthusiasts, The Racer holds a special place in roller coaster history. When Kings Island opened on April 29, 1972, replacing Cincinnati’s beloved Coney Island, its signature attraction was this 88-foot-high, twin-tracked wooden coaster designed by John C. Allen and built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company.
With a total track length of 6,830 feet and an initial drop of 82 feet, The Racer was built at a cost of $1.2 million and helped spark the great coaster renaissance of the 1970s. It became famous for world record riding attempts, a memorable appearance on The Brady Bunch, and in 1982, it was the first racing coaster ever to run trains backwards on one track.
More than 50 years later, The Racer continues to deliver a classic ride experience and remains an integral part of Kings Island’s outstanding coaster collection.
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