Race with NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt at speeds of up to 75 miles per hour...
Race with NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt at speeds of up to 75 miles per hour...
| Theme Park | Carowinds |
|---|---|
| Park Area | Celebration Plaza |
| Type | Rollercoaster |
| Audience | Thrillseekers |
| Opened | 27 March 2010 |
| Manufacturer | Bolliger & Mabillard |
| Model | Hyper Coaster |
| Height | 232 ft |
| Length | 5316 ft |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Max Speed | 75 mph |
| Duration | 3 minutes |
One of Intimidator's giant airtime hills
Taking the nickname of famous NASCAR racing driver Dale Earnhardt, Intimidator was the first rollercoaster to break the 200ft height barrier at Carowinds.
The rollercoaster, a B&M Hyper Coaster, tops out at 232ft above the ground and its trains reach a top speed of 75mph during their journey along the 5316ft track.
Intimidator features an out-and-back layout with a series of airtime hills to lift riders out of their seats. It's an airtime machine, with riders spending a substantial portion of the ride floating into their restraints ... make sure you don't get stapled in by one of the ride ops in the station or you'll be in for a much more boring time! Typically for B&M, it's a wonderful smooth ride too.
For most theme parks, a 200ft monster of a coaster would do as an icon for the park. But not so for Carowinds. In 2015, barely five years after Intimidator was opened, the ride was joined by Fury 325, another B&M coaster but 93 feet taller. While Fury 325 boasts more height and a higher speed with a more diverse layout, for me Intimidator still has the edge over its larger rival. Both are superb rides which dominate the sky above the Carolinas' state line, but Fury 325 doesn't feel as though it does much more with its extra height or speed.
Intimidator ride sign
First drop
Airtime
Intimidator train
Mid-course brakes
Dale Earnhardt
Intimidator's track layout
