Tampa Bay Times from St. Petersburg, Florida • 126

Fatidon Get on the fast trade The Southeast's largest and fastest double wooden roller coaster opens today at Busch Gardens. All aboard for a thrilling ride. FANDOM md Step right up, folks, for the ride of your life as Busch Gardens' double debut today. Here are some fun facts to know about it. Timw photo -JIM STEM wooden roller coaster makes its By KELLY A.

STEFANI TlmwSUffWrifrr Get ready for the loops, fly-bys, steep drops and fast tracks of Gwazi, Busch Gardens' new $10-mil-lion double wooden roller coaster, opening today. Here are a few facts about Gwazi: It is the Southeast's largest and fastest double wooden roller coaster. More than 1.25-million feet of lumber were used to build the coaster and there are more than 2-million bolted connections. It is named after a fabled lion with a tiger's head. Six fly-by maneuvers bring cars within feet of each other.

Each track runs a unique course. Gwazi's course is more like a bobsled ride with a slalom sensation. Drops allow riders to see the opposite train charging straight toward them. Gwazi's coasters arc on a 51-degree angle. mpa Bay's Attention die-hard fans: We want to hear about who you love.

Cher? Britney Spears? John Mellencamp? Marilyn Manson? Explain to us why you became a fan in 500 words or less. Preference is given to submissions about entertainers who are performing in the bay area. Selected submissions will be published in Time Out periodically. Send Fandoms to Babita Persaud, 1000 Ashley Street, Suite 700, Tampa, FL 33602. Include daytime telephone number, please.

OT3 Novelties Adult Toys Leather Lingerie Shoes DVD's Adult Videos Viewing Booths CD-ROM Magazines Newspapers -v. i -ft Riders will feel weightlessness as they pass a parabolic-shaped stretch of track. With drops reaching 90 feet and a top speed of 50 mph, Gwazi is the same height as Disney's Space Mountain and runs nearly two times faster (Space Mountain only hits 29 mph). As of 1997, the United Only D.J. Lazarus Wart VhM'CtKf Louisiana Cooking ft egendary Bines States led all countries with 427 operating coasters.

Britain was second with 114. Gwazi is the only wooden roller coaster in Florida. There are 128 operating wood coasters worldwide. Sources: Busch Gardens, Roller Coaster Database Tampa Time Out Babita Persaud (staff writer) Mike Canning (staff writer) Neville Green (managing editorTampa) Main number: (813) 226-3366 No one gets you closer to the action. One of the nation's Top 10 Sunday Sports sections.

t)ctersbur02ftme Florida's Best Newspaper Roy Roberts 0 4 Sunday, June 20th srst mwm OPEN 7 DAYS Offering the finest Southern TAMPA 4829 N. lois Ave. 2 blodci South of HiHsbor wgh 871-6900 1910 7th Ave 813 248 6097 Ybor City 4T TIMES FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 1999.