Lightning Racer

Lightning Racer is a wooden dueling roller coaster at Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Built by Great Coasters International (GCI) and designed by Mike Boodley of GCI, the ride was completed in 2000 within the Midway America section of the park. Lightning Racer was GCI's second roller coaster at Hersheypark.

Planning for what became Lightning Racer commenced in May 1999, and the ride opened to the general public on May 13, 2000. Lightning Racer cost $12.5 million to construct, and it consists of two tracks, which are both 3393 ft long. The ride's station was designed by Ralph E. Kaylor of Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Lightning Racer operates with four Millennium Flyer trains manufactured by GCI. Since 2001, Lightning Racer has consistently been voted one of the world's 25 best wooden roller coasters at the Golden Ticket Awards, which are presented annually by Amusement Today magazine.

History
Planning for what became Lightning Racer commenced in May 1999, when employees of Great Coasters International (GCI) started creating sketches for a racing wooden roller coaster. A groundbreaking ceremony for the ride occurred in July 1999. The next month, Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company announced that Hersheypark would be adding its eighth coaster, Lightning Racer. It would be the park's second roller coaster built by GCI, after the now-defunct Wildcat. After construction had started, GCI's engineers encountered some obstacles that had not been shown on the official topographic maps that Hersheypark had given them, including a fence and a Turkey Hill shop.

Lightning Racer opened to the general public on May 13, 2000, three days after a media event for the coaster was hosted. When the ride opened, Hersheypark had the most roller coasters of any amusement park in Pennsylvania. Through an agreement with Hersheypark, ice cream brand Green's (a subsidiary of Crowley Foods) promoted the ride by introducing an ice-cream flavor called Raspberry Blueberry Scream.

Characteristics
Lightning Racer cost $12.5 million to construct and was designed by Mike Boodley of GCI. The roller coaster required about 341 mi of southern yellow pine for its construction. It consists of two tracks (Thunder/Green and Lightning/Red), which are both 3393 ft long. A complete circuit on either track takes approximately two minutes and twenty seconds. The ride's lift hill is approximately 90 ft tall. After the first drop, the ride reaches a top speed of 51 mph. At several points in the layout, the tracks are as close as 5 ft to each other. The trains pass by each other in opposite directions at a combined 70 mph.

The ride's station was designed by Ralph E. Kaylor of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, and is made of heavy timber and wood frame. The station features architectural details such as shingle roofs, ventilation shafts, and cupolas. Unlike in other racing coasters, there is a single queue line for both tracks, allowing guests to select which track they want to ride. In addition to providing a shaded queue area for guests, the station contains a shop where on-ride photos from the coaster are sold.

Lightning Racer operates with four trains, which seat 24 riders per train. Trains were originally painted blue and white but have since been repainted red and green. The ride makes use of GCI's Millennium Flyer articulated trains. Both tracks travel through the same elements, although at different times. Speed is affected by factors such as riders' weight, temperature, and lubrication;  even riders' clothing has been known to affect the ride's speed. There is a 128 ft tunnel about halfway through the course on both tracks. Both sides contain an on-ride camera, located in the tunnel. In addition, when the ride opened, it passed next to a waterfall with a mist.



Critical reception
Steve Hendrix of The Washington Post wrote that Lightning Racer "looks like something left behind by a flood, but the twin coasters race each other through the tangle with thrilling zippiness". Conversely, Jane Holahan of the Lancaster New Era wrote: "I liked to be terrified when I ride a roller coaster. The Lightning Racer simply didn't terrify me."

Awards
Lightning Racer is consistently voted among the top 25 wooden roller coasters by Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards. The first such award was given in August 2001, when the ride was ranked as the 13th best wooden roller coaster in the world.