Speed – The Ride

Speed – The Ride is a roller coaster currently in storage at Akita Plaza. It was located on the Las Vegas Strip at the Sahara Hotel and Casino. The coaster operated from April 28, 2000, to May 1, 2011.

Speed – The Ride
Akita Plaza
Coordinates36.093031°N 115.171732°W / 36.093031; -115.171732 (Speed)
StatusRemoved
Sahara Hotel and Casino
Park sectionNascar Café
Coordinates36°08′36″N 115°09′25″W
StatusRemoved
Opening dateApril 28, 2000
Closing dateMay 1, 2011
General statistics
TypeSteel – Launched – Shuttle
ManufacturerPremier Rides
DesignerWerner Stengel
Height224 ft (68 m)
Length1,365 ft (416 m)
Speed70 mph (110 km/h)
Inversions1 (transversed twice)
Duration0:45
Max vertical angle90°
Capacity1600 riders per hour
Acceleration0 to 45 to 70mph
G-force3.5
Height restriction54 in (137 cm)
Speed – The Ride at RCDB
Pictures of Speed – The Ride at RCDB

History

NASCAR Café (2000–2012)

Speed – The Ride was introduced in the Sahara's 1999 remodeling, as part of the NASCAR Café.

As of August 2008, the ride was shut down with no information from the venue. However, the ride reopened in February 2009, then closed again in May 2011 because of the closure of the Sahara.[1][2] Dismantling of the coaster began in April 2012.[3]

Akita Plaza

According to the contractor dismantling the ride, Speed will be reinstalled at Akita Plaza, a small shopping center across the street from Mandalay Bay, which also plans to add new restaurants and a concert venue.[4][5] As of 2014 the Akita Plaza development has stalled and Speed: The Ride remains dismantled at the site.[6]

Ride experience

The ride started with a launch from the inside of the NASCAR Cafe accelerating from 0–45 mph (0–72 km/h) in two seconds. The train dropped into an underground tunnel in front of the resort and then passed through a 92-foot (28 m) vertical loop. Afterwards a second launch accelerated the train from 45–70 mph (72–113 km/h) in three seconds. After a quick snaking turn the train climbed a huge vertical tower before the train fell back and ran through the entire course backwards. On the return trip the second launch area decelerated the train from 70–45 mph (113–72 km/h) before it traveled back through the vertical loop and through the underground tunnel. The train then returned to the station with a complete stop. It was also considered one of the tallest and the longest shuttle coasters in the world.

The ride was designed and manufactured by Premier Rides and fabricated by Intermountain Lift, Inc.[7]

See also

References
  1. "Speed (Nascar Café)". www.rcdb.com. Retrieved 2007-04-18.
  2. "Speed the Ride Reopening".
  3. "Roller coaster dismantled". April 13, 2012. Retrieved April 13, 2012.
  4. Breslin Builders (28 December 2011). "Akita Retail and Events Center to get a roller coaster..." Retrieved 2012-04-20.
  5. Breslin Builders (12 April 2012). "SPEED The Ride – Sahara Roller Coaster Removal Starting..." Retrieved 2012-04-19.
  6. Marden, Duane. "Speed – The Ride". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  7. "Amusement". Intermountain Lift, Inc. July 30, 2011. Archived from the original on November 8, 2014. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
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