Kentucky Kingdom
Louisville, Kentucky
May 10, 2025
Page Three
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Sadly the Greezed' Lightnin Schwarzkopf shuttle loop that Six
Flags added to the park was left to rust for the years Kentucky Kingdom
sat dormant had to be removed. In its place Lightning Run was
added to Kentucky Kingdom.
Interestingly what Ed heart proposed to the fair board was a $14 million
coaster designed by Bolliger & Mabillard. Instead interestingly he
ended up going with Chance Rides, a manufacturer that primarily build
trains, Ferris wheels, kids rides, and in the coaster world the Toboggan
portable coaster that used to be a staple of carnivals and fairs in the
1970's, for his big new attraction..
Now you might think I'm crazy here but going with Chance over B&M was
absolutely the right decision.
Lightning Run was the first Hyper GT-X coaster by Chance Rides and it
shows they have certainly come a long ways from their days building
Toboggans for carnivals or kiddie coasters. In 2001 they merged
with Morgan Manufacturing, that produced coasters like Mamba at
Worlds of Fun and Steel Force
at Dorney Park.
This move brought modern track manufacturing into their wheelhouse.
In 2014 Chance Rides decided to make a push at the big leagues with
Lightning Run.
With a rather diminutive height of just a hundred feet, one might not
think that Lightning Run has a lot of wallop to offer, but sometimes
really good things come in small packages.