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Photo Taken 03/06/2000!

Race World Family Entertainment Center Adding 
THE INTIMIDATOR Wooden Coaster!

     Race World, a Family Entertainment Center (FEC) located in bustling Pigeon Forge, Tenn., has launched a multimillion dollar expansion that will make it one of the area's MUST-SEE attractions.

     The facility started out in 1995 primarily as an 80,000-square-foot retail outlet specializing in NASCAR and stock car related collectables that brought in the crowds.

     Other attractions already located within the INDOOR  portion of Race World is an 18-hole  "Stock Car"  miniature golf course (complete with a waterfall flowing through it), go-kart track, arcade, with lts of new video games, pool tables & air hockey, MaxFlight VR simulator and the Winner's cafe.  A selection of kiddie rides recently leased from Kentucky-based Harper Amusements, along with an assortment of race cars & trucks, but it is the outdoor midway currently under construction that is expected to become Pigeon Forge's newest shining star!

     OUTDOOR FUN is will be anchored by a major wooden coaster from The Coaster Works! of Nashville, Tenn., the new stock car themed midway also will also have a merry-go-round, a Little-"D" kiddie coaster, outdoor high banked go cart track, and a number of additional thrill rides, effectively transforming RACE WORLD into a full-fledged amusement park.

     The wooden coaster will be called The Intimidator (the nickname of renowned race Dale Earnhardt) and will feature 2,500 feet of track arranged in a double out-and-back layout with a figure 8 crossover.  The ride will stand 70 feet tall (the maximum height allowed by city ordinances) and have a first drop of 67 deet.  The new ride will utilize a two stock-car-themed, six-car trains from Hatfield, PA. based Philidelphia Toboggan Coasters.

     "We chose a wooden coaster over a steel ride because of its broader appeal to the families that visit our park," said RACE WORLD General Manager Terry Howell.  "Our research indicates that looping coasters seem to be most popular among the 15 to 25 year old customer, and since RACE WORLD draws a much larger demographic than just that group, we felt a woodie was the best choice."

     "We became associated with George Laibe and The Coaster Works! mainly because they approached us saying they were very interested in building a wooden coaster in this area," Howell said, "And as it turned out, we were one of the only FEC's with enough available land to accommodate a large woodie."

     While the ultra-popular Dollywood theme park is located mere minutes away from RACE WORLD and just opened a brand new looping steel coaster this past spring, it may seem that the Pigeon Forge coaster wars are in full swing.  RACE WORLD'S Terry Howell sees things a bit differently.  "We started this project long before we even knew of Dollywood's steel coaster was coming.  And because this is a wooden coaster, I feel there will be very little competition there at all.  Like we've said before, a woodie has a larger demographic appeal.  Other factors working in our favor are that we're located only a block off the main roadway and that we offer free admission and a pay-per-ride mentality is very attractive when compared to the expensive POPs found at the theme parks."