Carolina Coaster Classic Photo TR type thingy

The ACE Carolina Coaster Classic, or C3, has quickly established itself as one of the best regional park events in the country. This year was no exception, as Scott, Natividad, and Kathleen from the park's PR department, and Max and Robert from ACE Southeast went all out to put on a hell of an event.

 

 

Our day began bright and early, as I roused Jay shortly after 5 AM, and we eventually made our way over to Ihop, where we met up with quite a few Carowinds Connection members for our traditional pre-C3 breakfast. Thankfully, this year no one was sick. Illness was not the problem this time, but instead the heat. With heat indexes breaking past 110 degrees, it was not the best day to be running around an amusement park.

 

 

Luckily, we were arriving at 7:30 AM, so we got a lot of riding in during ERT before it really started to heat up.

 

 

Morning ERT was on Hurler, Carolina Cyclone, and Ricochet, all of which were running fantastic. The huge amounts of airtime Hurler was delivering surprised quite a few people. After countless re-rides on Hurler and Ricochet, morning ERT came to an end, and since Scott had yet to ride Borg, it was suggested that we forgo the Scooby Shootout and head over to Borg.

 

 

?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!???!?!!!!!!????!

 

 

Nearly twenty rides on Hurler did not phase Scott, but one trip on the big green Vekoma machine nearly sidelined him for the rest of the day. As for myself, I enjoyed rolling through the corkscrews with my head being bashed onto the hard shell beside the small padded headrest.

 

 

Ted is celebrating because he survived Borg without any internal injuries. Or maybe it is because he (along with everyone else at the event) has just got into line for the best ride in the park.

 

 

Yep, the Phantom Flyers. It was no surprise to see that Bill had already made his way there, and was ready for some snapping action.

 

 

Scott told us before ERT to try not to freak out any families on the flyers during the day, but I'm not sure how well his warnings were heeded.

 

 

Dave tried to find the hyper going under the bridge, but could not locate it.

 

 

We escaped the heat to get our season passes processed, with the new fingerprint identification system.

 

 

SpongeBob shows us how to put our fingers into the machine.. yeah... the machine...

 

 

Scott seems to have somewhat recovered from his Borg experience.

 

 

We continue to find ways to avoid the heat, and Dave continues to find ways to be offensive.

 

 

Yep.

 

 

The Green Goblin returns.

 

 

Robert came up from Atlanta just to make sure the group photo actually got taken this year.

 

 

It would not be an ACE event without a huge buffet lunch, and this was no exception, as Carowinds gave us plenty to stuff our faces as usual.

 

 

Alan did not feel it was necessary to use a plate.

 

 

Mmm ribs

 

 

Ted goes to work on a drumstick.

 

 

After lunch it was time for the Amazing rACE. Modeled after the "reality" tv series, it was without a doubt the most exhausting event that has ever taken place at a coaster enthusiast event.

 

 

Mark and Jarvis assisted with the race, and got a good laugh at me and Jay standing in line for Vortex.

 

 

We found ourselves in the Action F/X Theater for SpongeBob 3-D during the second leg of the race.

 

 

Some of the group strategically took the stationary seats in the front of the theater so they could get a head start at the end of the show.

 

 

The mad dash through the park in the blazing heat continues.

 

 

Jay and I were slowed up at Thunder Road, which resulted in our elimination. Here are Max and Kathleen explaining the next leg of the race to the remaining competitors.

 

 

And there they go.

 

 

Jay and I quickly headed for Dora's Azul Adventure for a mini-takeover of the wonderful little train ride through the "jungle".

 

 

We marvelled at the amazing theming.

 

 

Yep, best ride in the park.

 

 

Alan and Jay prepare for extreme jackhammering action on Thunder Road.

 

 

Oh yeah, the park also has a coaster called Top Gun. You may have heard of it.

 

 

10 hours into the day, Alan is amazed to discover that the card has been wearing around his neck has his name on it.

 

 

As night fell, we gathered in the Paramount Theatre for some fun.

 

 

We had an informative Q&A session, including the obligatory hyper under the bridge discussion, and then watched the Discovery Channel show shot on Top Gun last year.

 

 

I won some passes for the Xtreme Skyflyer, and after we left the Theatre Jay, Ted, and I took a ride. It was Ted's first ride on any Skyflyer, and my first ride on the Carowinds Skyflyer, as I have been too cheap to do it for the last 10 years.

 

 

After that, the madness of the evening ERT sessions begun. Bayard was having fun working Top Gun, which was running very well. But after a couple of rides, I was off to the real destination...

 

 

The Phantom Flyers! Riding and watching the flyers during ERT was downright terrifying, and everyone had an absolute blast.

 

 

Tired and sore, our long day came to an end following the madness of the flyer ERT, and another C3 came to an end. I had a fantastic time, and would like to thank everyone who helped with the event, and everyone who attended and helped make it such a great day. That's all for now!