The Racer

About The Racer

This coaster opened in 1972 along with the park itself. It was designed by the famed coaster builder John Allen, and is often credited for launching the coaster wars that we are still experiencing today. The racing coaster presents both a smooth ride and a classic feel. Both sides travel forwards, although the Southern Racer featured backwards-facing trains between 1982 and 2007.
-- Last edited by Ty Mullins

[Update this description | Read previous versions]

Photos from The Racer

Safety

• Report an injury accident at The Racer
• Keep yourself and your kids safe with our Theme Park Safety Tips

Readers' Opinions

While I realize that this ride deserves plenty of credit, I don't enjoy this ride as many people do. After many airtime filled rides on Blue Streak (Cedar Point) it's hard to enjoy the Racer as much. The Racer is short on airtime and thrills, and works more as a family coaster than something to satisfy enthusiast. Not the airtime coaster it could be. - Chris Gottschalk

This coaster is credited with saving the wooden roller coaster from certain doom back when it opened in 1972(it was NOT the first, by a long shot)and after riding it I can see why. This coaster dishes out more airtime than any other coaster in the park besides Diamondback, and is just good old classic fun. The Blue Side, however, does have a bit of roughness and less airtime than the Red. - Jon Williams

Decent Ride. Its the poorer cousin of the Rebel Yell at Kings Dominion - Will Chilcote

The first coaster(s) to be built in the park, the racers are classics that shouldn't be missed by any age group. Lines are never bad and the two cars generally race eachother with good timing. Better when one car was backwards. - Byron Smith

Blue or Red -- it doesn't matter. Both are good rides. Not much airtime, but more than the Beast (surprise!). An oldie but a woodie! - Larry Zimmerman

why do people say its gay its the first roller coaster there and i still ride it everytime i go there - Nathan Dapper

A Great classic roller coaster for all ages! - Mike Mills

While the Blue Racer is a tad rough at points, the Red Racer is amazingly smooth and offers an abundance of air-time. The lines for these two racing coasters is often short, allowing for easy re-rides. - Ty Mullins

Classic ride, although I wish they hadn't gotten rid of the backwards side. - Derek Potter

Classic roller coaster with hardly any wait. beats a 90-minute wait for firehawk any day - David Kildal

a nice starter roaler coaster (forward) very smooth although I recently went on it and they were both forward the worker said that it was for some anneversary and it used to be that way so its not as fun but still a good traditional ride - kalb smith

Search Theme Park Insider

Reader Reviews, by Theme Park

United States/Canada Top 20 ^*

• Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom
• Disneyland
• Epcot
• Disney's Hollywood Studios
• Disney's Animal Kingdom
• Universal Studios Florida
• SeaWorld Orlando
• Disney's California Adventure
• Universal's Islands of Adventure
• Universal Studios Hollywood
• Busch Gardens Tampa
• SeaWorld San Diego
• Knott's Berry Farm
• Canada's Wonderland
• Cedar Point
• Kings Island
• Busch Gardens Williamsburg
• Hersheypark
• Six Flags Great Adventure
• Six Flags Great America
• ^* By 2008 attendance

Other U.S. parks

• Holiday World
• Kings Dominion
• Legoland California
• Silver Dollar City
• Six Flags Magic Mountain

International parks

• Tokyo Disneyland
• Disneyland Paris
• Tokyo DisneySea
• Universal Studios Japan
• Hong Kong Disneyland

Water parks

• Aquatica
• Blizzard Beach
• Typhoon Lagoon

Theme Park Insider on Twitter

• Subscribe to our Twitter feed
• Become a fan on Facebook
• Watch our videos on YouTube

Theme Park Reviews, Features, Advice

• How to plan your vacation on a budget
• Theme Park Insider's 'four-hour' tour plans
• How to stay safe when visiting theme parks
• What's under construction for 2009/10
• TPI at the Tournament of Roses Parade

Theme Park News Archive

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004-2005