BREAKING: The AMERICAN EAGLE roller coaster will RACE ONCE AGAIN at Six Flags Great America for the first time in nearly a decade. The park announced that EAGLE will race during the park’s 50th Anniversary Celebration, which is happening from June 20-August 9. The classic wooden roller coaster opened... in 1981 with a red train and blue train racing side by side. It is the tallest, fastest, and longest racing wooden roller coaster in the world. Six Flags Great America opened to the public 50 years ago today - May 29, 1976. In honor of the big day, the park is handing out party hats and some treats. There will be a fireworks show at 9:30pm.show more

@megc1977

Now they just need to have the Blue Car go backwards, like it used to!

I remember riding it backwards about 30+ years ago. They had one set of cars going forward and one going backwards. In grade school our student council went at the end of the school year and that's why everyone wanted to be in student council lol.

Will it still slam my head back and forth? If I’m not having micro-concussions the whole ride, I’m not interested.

Uh pass, I like my back too much. Gotta be one of the roughest rides in history of roller coasters.

I did not realize that the Red and Blue coasters had not been racing.

I'm definitely going to make sure my visit is during this time period!

I have rode it many times, it’s quite shaky but fun.

@OakLawnTek Why don’t they race them all the time?

I can’t believe I use to ride this backwards

Fantastic news!!!

just a correction: it wasn't Six Flags Great America, I believe then it was Marriott's Great America.

At Marriotts Great America in Gurnee, Illinois?

Do we have any info on who will be tackling the track/structure work? Hoping it’s Gravity Group with vertical stack track.

Will they have one go backwards again?

Now I’m movatied to get back!

@beachskymtn Rode this a few times when I was a kid. Took my kids there and rode it. It was awesome! 🤘🏻🤘🏻

The Beast at Kings Island is the longest wooden roller coaster. T Express is the tallest (Everland, South Korea), and Goliath is the fastest and steepest at SFGA. What took so long for the Eagle to race though 🎢🙏😊?

@HeartOTXHeartMD I have ridden that coaster.

Nice memory unlock! I've rode the American Eagle at Six Flags (Gurnee, IL) and back when they had the anniversary - they ran it backwards. We rode it multiple times that day

"Breaking: The AMERICAN EAGLE roller coaster" I immediately thought you meant you were going to break the rollercoaster.

That is great news! I rode the American Eagle during its opening year. It is roller coaster perfection.

Nothing as adrenaline pumping as the Cyclone. Rickety old coaster. They had the Hell Hole at Coney Island through at least the 80s. Gas powered, floor drops out, walls just planks, no cushion. Operator and his friend jumped down once they started it, positioned horiz, lit joint

@xmaggiepiazzax

@Kitzmanov

So funny. My kids were just telling me that and then I saw this post! Awesome roller coaster. Probably my favorite!

Not sure if you reported on it but Six Flags is collaborating with Project Purple on the new rollercoaster set to open in 2027. I saw the video on Instagram.

Yes! That is at @SFGrAdventure in New Jersey!

Happy 50th to @SFGreat_America!! Only visited once as a child in '84. 😎

Lean forward! Man that was fun. Can't do roller coasters anymore but it was fun while it lasted.

I rode it last year in early July and it was racing

@CheapSeats411 Where did you get this source from, not to be sceptical but it hasn’t ran both trains at the same time in maybe 6 years

worst coaster ever!

Now bring back the Shockwave

This is great news 💯💯💯💯

Great for teen takeovers!