As part of a major expansion, the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas contacted Premier Rides to build them a world class thrill ride, and Speed: The Ride certainly lives up the bill.

Standing 224ft high, Speed: The Ride uses LIM's to accelerate the train to speeds of 70mph.  The ride travels around the hotel, and can easily be spotted from the Strip.

..............

You board the ride inside of the Nascar Cafe.  The ride is equipped with OTSR's, which unfortunately will most likely not be removed due to the smoothness of the ride.

Once your restraints are checked, and the ride is clear to go, the LIM's kick in, accelerating you from 0-45mph in only 2 seconds.

You immediately fly into a banked left-turn and down into an underground tunnel.  You then enter the vertical loop, which is one of the most impressive loops I have experienced.

From here, you head into another set of LIM's, which accelerate you from 35-70mph in only 2 seconds.  Flying by at 70mph, you enter a left turn, coming very close to the side of the hotel, and up the 224ft vertical spike.

You don't have much time to catch your breath, as you immediately begin free-falling back down the spike, preparing to do the whole thing over again... backwards.

Once again, you fly through the banked turn and through the vertical loop, which provides higher G's time around.  You then head back down into the tunnel, around the banked turn, and back into the launch station.

..............

Speed: The Ride is definitely one of the best launched coasters I have ever ridden.  Compared to other Premier coasters, the ride is smooth as silk.  For this reason, I doubt the OTSR's will be replaced with lap bars anytime soon.

Speed: The Ride is a very fast and intense ride.  It was voted the #1 coaster in Vegas by the Las Vegas Review Journal, and I agree with them completely.  If you are on the Strip, be sure not to miss this incredible launched coaster.

Rating: 8/10

Pros:

• Smooth
• Vertical Loop
• Positive Gs
• Fast

Cons:

• Short
• Dispatch Times
• OTSR's (Other Premier launch coasters no longer have them)