Cedar Point’s Top Thrill Dragster to retire after 19 seasons

SANDUSKY, Ohio (CBS DETROIT) – After operating 19 seasons and drawing 18 million riders, the Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point is going into retirement.

A statement on Tuesday from the amusement park says it is working to create “a new and imagined ride experience.”

Officials say the Top Thrill Dragster, which opened in 2003, was the world’s first strata coaster, standing at 420 feet tall and traveling at 120 mph.

The decision by Cedar Point comes a year after a small metal object flew off the coaster and struck a woman in the head at the park. A state investigation found no evidence that the park acted illegally or had reason to believe the ride was unsafe.

The ride has remained closed since the Aug. 15, 2021 accident. Park officials did not say if the accident influenced their decision to permanently close the coaster, which has drawn 18 million riders.