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West Coast Racers facts for kids

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West Coast Racers
West Coast Racers logo.jpg
Six Flags Magic Mountain - 49256408391.jpg
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Location Six Flags Magic Mountain
Park section The Underground
Coordinates 34°25′18″N 118°35′57″W / 34.4217°N 118.5992°W / 34.4217; -118.5992
Status Operating
Soft opening date December 21, 2019 (2019-12-21)
Opening date January 9, 2020 (2020-01-09)
Replaced Déjà Vu
General statistics
Type Steel – Launched
Manufacturer Premier Rides
Model Custom
Lift/launch system LSM launch
Height 67 ft (20 m)
Length 4,000 ft (1,200 m)
Speed 55 mph (89 km/h)
Inversions 4
Duration 3:00
Height restriction 54 in (137 cm)
Trains 3 trains with 2 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 3 rows for a total of 12 riders per train.
Single rider line No
West Coast Racers at RCDB

West Coast Racers is an exciting dueling steel roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain theme park. This park is located in Valencia, California. The ride was built by Premier Rides. It's a special team-up between West Coast Customs and Six Flags. They called it the world's first racing roller coaster that uses a launch system.

The ride had some delays and missed its planned summer 2019 opening. It finally started preview events on December 21, 2019. West Coast Racers officially opened to everyone on January 9, 2020. You can find it where the old Déjà Vu roller coaster used to be. This area is now a new themed land called The Underground.

How West Coast Racers Was Built

Six Flags Magic Mountain first announced West Coast Racers on August 29, 2018. The park president, Neal Thurman, and West Coast Customs founder, Ryan Friedlinghaus, shared their plans. They worked together to design this unique roller coaster.

Ride Features and Design

West Coast Racers was designed with some cool features. It has four magnetic launches, which means the trains are pushed forward very fast. It also includes four inversions, where riders go upside down. These inversions are called three "zero-g rolls" and one "zero-g stall."

The ride is special because it has 30 "interactions" between the two racing trains. This includes 14 times the tracks cross over each other. There's even a "high-five" moment where the trains get very close. The coaster reaches a top speed of 55 miles per hour. It also has airtime hills, which give you a feeling of weightlessness, and turns that are banked steeply.

Construction and Opening Timeline

Building the roller coaster started in May 2019. This was a few months later than planned because the track pieces arrived late. Six Flags didn't give an exact opening date at first.

In December 2019, Six Flags announced that West Coast Racers would have special preview events. These started on December 21, 2019. Some park members got to ride first. Then, season pass holders and other guests could ride if they bought a special T-shirt or a Flash Pass. The ride officially opened for all visitors on January 9, 2020.

What It's Like to Ride West Coast Racers

The West Coast Racers experience is unique because two trains launch at the same time. Each train has two cars and can hold 12 riders.

The Racing Experience

The trains race side-by-side throughout the ride. They interact more than 30 times, crossing paths and getting close to each other. The trains reach a maximum speed of 55 miles per hour. They cross the finish line together, making it a true race!

Two Laps of Fun

After the first lap, one train goes back to the station. The other train pulls into a special area that looks like the West Coast Customs shop. Here, Ryan Friedlinghaus gives a short speech. Then, both trains launch again and complete the course a second time. The whole ride lasts about three minutes, giving you double the fun!

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