Lightning Run
{{Short description|Roller coaster}}
{{Infobox roller coaster
|image= File:Lightning Run at Kentucky Kingdom – Jeremy Thompson.jpg
|name=Lightning Run
|status=Operating
|location=Kentucky Kingdom
|opened=May 24, 2014
|section= Front of Park
|previousattraction=Greezed Lightnin'
|manufacturer=Chance Rides
|model=Hyper GT-X Coaster
|drop_ft=100
|length_ft=2500
|speed_mph=55
|inversions=0
|duration=2:00
|angle=80
|capacity=800
|trains=2
|carspertrain=5
|rowspercar=2
|ridersperrow=2
|restriction_in=48
|rcdb_number=7982
|coordinates={{Coord|38.196461|-85.744041|display=it}}
}}
Lightning Run is a custom Hyper GT-X steel roller coaster, created and manufactured by Chance Rides, located at Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville, Kentucky. Since its opening on May 24, 2014, Lightning Run is, to-date, the only operating Hyper GT-X model roller coaster in the world.
History
In February 2010, Six Flags permanently closed Kentucky Kingdom after a negotiation could not be reached with the Kentucky State Fair Board for a new lease needed for the park. In May 2010, Local Investor Ed Hart returned to the fold to operate the park again almost 13 years after selling the park to Six Flags. However, after over one year of trying to negotiate with the fair board over a lease, negotiations with Hart abruptly ended in September 2011. At the start of 2012, the owners of Holiday World expressed interest in running the park and renaming it to Bluegrass Boardwalk, but those plans ended without success in June 2012. In August 2012, Ed Hart returned to the Fair Board with a new proposal which included a {{USD|15 million}} Bolliger & Mabillard roller coaster, but the plans were slightly changed to a {{USD|7 million}} roller coaster and a different manufacturer. Chance Rides was then hired to build a brand new coaster model for the park.{{Cite web|url=https://rcdb.com/7982.htm|title=Lightning Run - Kentucky Kingdom (Louisville, Kentucky, USA)|last=Marden|first=Duane|publisher=Roller Coaster DataBase|language=en|access-date=November 22, 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/travel/deals/la-trb-kentucky-kingdom-20140515-story.html|title=Bedraggled Kentucky Kingdom theme park gets a multimillion-dollar redo|last=MacDonald|first=Brady|date=May 16, 2014|website=Los Angeles Times|access-date=November 22, 2018}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/life/family/2014/05/19/kentucky-kingdom-ready-reopening-officials-say/9301559/|title=Kentucky Kingdom ready for reopening, officials say|last=Shafer|first=Sheldon S.|date=May 19, 2014|work=The Courier-Journal|access-date=November 22, 2018|publisher=Gannett Company|language=en}}
Reception
Lightning Run was ranked in the Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards for best new ride of 2014 with 9% of the vote, to come in fifth place.
| class="wikitable" |
| style="text-align:center; background:white;" colspan="500"|Golden Ticket Awards: Best New Ride for 2014 |
|---|
| style="background:#white;"
! style="text-align:center;"|Ranking |{{center|5{{cite journal|title=Park and ride winners|journal=Amusement Today|date=September 2014|url=http://www.goldenticketawards.com/2014-park-ride-winners/|accessdate=September 7, 2014}}}} |