Well ya know things sure go strange when on a non-coaster family vacation. for the final day and a half, we were in the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area, and while we had no time for Dollywood on this trip, we did have time for Race World. (Not that I had anything to do with a stop at Race World :) )
Race World, by the brochure in our hotel room was "Between lights 3 and 4 one block from the parkway" So we follow the little map which shoews the park on Teaser Road. We go to Teaser Road, which was really being a tease. It seemed i could drive all around the coaster but never get to it. After finding out that none of the local shops were able to direct me to the park entrance. ("Race World, what's that?", we finally headed down an alley and found the park entrance.
(Note: it is much easier to take the parkway to the Factory Cowboy Boot Outlet, and turn there, this will run you straight into the parking lot).
Parking is free, and the place looked deserted, I mean the whole time we were trying to find the park entrance, none of us saw any sign of activity ont he coaster. We pull in, and I head inside to find out whats what. Race World is a big FEC, a Go-Kart concession, that offers a Nascart Oval track (outdoors) and a traditonal track (indoors), a gift shop (Winston Cup themed), some stock car shells all around, arcade, snack bar, and some amusement rides int he back, some kiddie rides, and a Dodgems. I also noted a lot of the signage inthe park still reffers to the ride as the Intimidator. i find the ticket booth, and the sign says Thunder Eagle is Open, I ask verbally, and get verbal confimrmation it is open, I buy 2 rides on Thunder Eagle. (Hey I need a front and back seat ride, okay?) That will be $9 with your coupon. ($5 per ride) I had a coupon for $1 off a ride. I buy tickets, collect the family outside, they enter and we head out the side door, where we pass the CyberCoaster, an M-4 looking simulator. $4, I pass on it. "For my money I don't know why anyone would rather sit in a plastic box, pretending to ride, when they can be riding the real thing" I exit the side door, into a rather uninteresting asphault pad. Uninteresting save for Thunder Eagle to the right, a ticket booth to the right, (which looks like it belongs to a traveling carnival), and snack bar to the left. While there I did see at least one carnival ride sitting on a trailer awaiting installation. So I'd say the park isn't quite done yet.
But still no action at Thunder Eagle. I climb up the stairway, and ahh there is a loader and driver up top. I hand the loader my 5 tickets, and he says to sit anywhere. Generous as I am the only rider there. Front or back. Ahh don't make me choose. For some reason I decide to go for the front first. "Oncoming rideER please stand back ats the gate is about to open automatically" "Oncoming RidER please take a seat and fasten your seatbelt" "Oncoming RidER, please lower your lapbar". I didn't know my name had been changed to Mr. Oncoming Rider I will give them credit for checking lapbars by pulling UP, and the PTC train is nice and roomy, and is a 3bench model (5 cars, 3 bences), black paint job. A transfer track is visible. But they only needed one train to just haul my butt around the coaster. Off we go, the ride seems similar, though different than the Strickers Grove Tornado. I mean both are fiarly short figure 8 double out and backs,, Thunder Eagle is about 70' high, and although evidence of minor air can be found, there was nothing major. Of course had we had another 29 riders in the train it might have behaved better. After that ride, I exit tor ight as instructed, and ask ":Do i have to walk all the way around" "No just sit anywhere" I go for the back seat., Again only rider on train. this time as expected the ride op wants some yellow pieces of cardboard from me when he checks my lapbar. The back is better than the front, the air is "almost there" and the laterals are present, nothing violent but enough to remind you you are on a coaster.
I know it doens't sound like I was excited, but my family said, that the look on my face was pure electric magic when I hit the brake run the first time. They said the look of excitement was tangible. While not a bad wooden coaster, I can't exactly say it was very memorable either. I'll put it in that "fun ride" category. I could marathon this coaster very easily, and enjoy it.