Racer 75 is a twin-track wooden racing coaster at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia, designed by legendary coaster architect John C. Allen and built by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters. It opened with the park on May 3, 1975, giving riders two mirror-image tracks that launch side by side from the station, racing each other through a course of drops, a tunnel, and airtime-filled hills.
For more than four decades the ride operated as Rebel Yell, a name tied to Confederate imagery that the park retired in 2018 in favor of Racer 75 — a title that nods to the coaster’s dual-track racing format, its 1975 opening year, and American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE), which honored the ride as a Coaster Landmark in 2003.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Kings Dominion, Doswell, Virginia
- Manufacturer: Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters
- Designer: John C. Allen
- Opened: May 3, 1975
- Height: 85 ft
- Top speed: 56 mph
- Length: About 3,369 ft per track
- Inversions: 0
The Ride Experience
Racer 75 runs two side-by-side wooden tracks, north and south, each with its own train departing the station at the same time so riders can race the other side down an 81-foot first drop. The out-and-back layout weaves through a wooded section of the park called Candy Apple Grove, including a run through a tunnel, and the ride lasts about 2 minutes and 15 seconds with a top speed near 56 mph.
Each side is served by two trains carrying five cars apiece, seating 30 riders three rows deep, two across, for a combined hourly capacity of around 1,200 guests. For a stretch between 1992 and 2008, one of the two tracks was even reversed to run backwards before being restored to its original forward direction.
History and Legacy
Built for $1.5 million as one of Kings Dominion’s opening-day attractions in 1975, the coaster spent its first 42 years as Rebel Yell, named for the bourbon brand. In 2018, Kings Dominion renamed it Racer 75 to move away from Confederate-era connotations, choosing a name that references its racing format and birth year.
The coaster earned ACE’s Coaster Landmark recognition in June 2003, cementing its status as a preserved piece of wooden coaster history designed by John Allen, one of the most influential coaster designers of the 20th century.
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Rebel Yell / Racer 75 Photo Archive: July 2001
These are original ThrillZing photos of Rebel Yell, the racing wooden coaster now called Racer 75, taken at Paramount’s Kings Dominion on July 12 and 13, 2001, restored and upscaled from the original camera files. They show the twin white lift hills from the midway and the station, trains climbing and cresting the lift, on-ride views up the chain and down the double track, the water park slides that ran beside it, and a dusk view from the park’s Eiffel Tower. All photos are free to reuse under a CC BY 4.0 license with credit to ThrillZing and a link to this page.
Soak, snap and drape. A cooling towel takes the edge off a 45-minute midday queue in July.
Park apps, mobile ordering and photos kill a battery by 3 p.m. This one snaps on magnetically, so there's no cable to snag on a restraint.
Ride with your glasses on and keep them. Many parks allow glasses on rides if they're strapped, so check the ride rules first.
Racer 75 FAQs
Is Racer 75 the same ride as Rebel Yell?
Yes. Racer 75 opened in 1975 as Rebel Yell and kept that name until Kings Dominion renamed it in 2018 to move away from its Confederate-themed branding.
How fast does Racer 75 go?
Racer 75 reaches a top speed of about 56 mph during its roughly 2-minute-15-second ride.
Who designed Racer 75?
It was designed by John C. Allen and built by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters, opening with Kings Dominion on May 3, 1975.
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Photo: Chris Hagerman / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.