Cedar Point retiring Top Thrill Dragster, park says

The Top Thrill Dragster will remain closed while the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Division of Amusement Ride Safety & Fairs investigate exactly how a "small metal object" detached from the roller coaster . (Cedar Point)

Cedar Point will officially shut down Top Thrill Dragster, one of the amusement parks most famous roller coasters.

The Sandusky-based park announced the decision Tuesday on Twitter, saying it was "being retired" after 19 seasons of use.

"We have an important update to share regarding our Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster. After 19 seasons in operation with 18 million riders experiencing the world's first strata coaster, Top Thrill Dragster, as you know it, is being retired."

"However, Cedar Point's legacy of ride innovation continues. Our team is hard at work, creating a new and reimagined ride experience."

The park also said it would share more details at a future date. 

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Top Thrill Dragster was the park's 16th roller coaster and opened in 2003 as the tallest coaster in the world. It also was one of the fastest, speeding up to 120 mph, which is a fitting pace for a ride based on some of the fastest vehicles on Earth.