The Giant Racer was a steel-framed racing roller coaster built in 1911 at Surf Avenue and West End Street in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York. It replaced an earlier ride called Loop the Loop at that location. At about 900 feet long with two parallel tracks, it was promoted as one of the world’s largest and fastest steel coasters of its time. 

Accidents and Changes During its first season, the ride suffered a major accident when a train derailed on a curve about fifty feet above Surf Avenue, killing two women.  In 1916, the coaster was relocated 70 feet closer to Surf Avenue by placing it on rollers — a move that helped increase riders and revenue. 

Final Years and Removal The Giant Racer continued operating through the 1910s and early 1920s. In 1926, it was dismantled to make room for a new and more ambitious wooden coaster — the Coney Island Cyclone, which opened the following year and eventually became one of the most famous roller coasters in the world. 

Legacy Though relatively short-lived (about 15 years), the Giant Racer was part of Coney Island’s golden era of amusement rides and contributed to the neighborhood’s reputation as a roller coaster capital in the early 20th century.

Fatalities: unknown

Opened 1911

Type of coaster: Steel framed