The Rebirth of The Grizzly Part 3 - The Forces of Gravity
Kyle Kruthoffer
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No question, the Grizzly project was a challenging endeavor for such a beloved coaster. To accomplish the task, Kings Dominion worked with a group of passionate engineers who are the foremost experts in wooden rollercoaster technology, The Gravity Group.
The Gravity Group firm is based in Cincinnati, Ohio, and was founded in July 2002 by a group of veteran wooden coaster designers. Together, the engineers with The Gravity Group have more experience designing wooden rollercoasters than any other company in existence today anywhere in the world. As a result, the designs that The Gravity Group produces are consistently among the highest-rated wooden coasters in the industry. The core group of designers and engineers at The Gravity Group have backgrounds in civil, structural, and mechanical engineering. Their experience comes from working on over 40 different wooden roller coasters around the world.
Founding members of The Gravity Group include Korey Kiepert, Chad Miller, Michael Graham, and Lawrence Bill. The lead engineer for The Grizzly project is Brian Kosmac.
Most wooden roller coaster track is hand-cut onsite, sometimes at great heights and in difficult positions. This traditional construction method can present challenges and requires highly skilled carpenters to implement the ride design information into the final product.
The Gravity Group has created an alternative track system that is being utilized in the retracking of The Grizzly. The new track system from The Gravity Group is entirely made of wood – preserving the integrity of a wooden roller coaster. The newly engineered precut track is by design up to thirty times stronger than the traditional wooden roller coaster track. The track is precut at The Gravity Group facility by precision equipment to the exact shape determined by the ride design. The additional strength and precise shape ensure that the track will deliver smooth rides and indefinitely be maintenance friendly. Additionally, this engineered precut track is economical and easy to install in prefabricated pieces with predictable, excellent results.
Six hundred feet of this track was installed on Kings Island’s Racer in 2021. The Gravity Group also breathed new life into Kings Island’s “The Beast’s” first drop and through the first tunnel and turn towards the second drop and 540-degree helix tunnel. The park’s staff and guests have raved about the new ride experience from the engineered precut track. This new track allows The Gravity Group to refurbish classic rides and produce new ones in a way that preserves the experience and integrity of the beloved wooden roller coaster.
The Beast at Kings Island utilized Gravity Group's engineered precut track when the ride was refurbished in 2022
The Gravity Group was presented with Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Award for Innovation of the Year. To date, their innovative track has been added to eight different projects. In all, they have worked on forty different coasters all over the world.
The Grizzly is now open and once again thrilling riders in Old Virginia.