Kings Dominion smoothed out one of its roughest rides

Kings Dominion has tamed one of its roughest roller coasters.

What's happening: The Grizzly, which in its later years gave riders an experience akin to being repeatedly punched in the abdomen, reopened over the weekend with a brand-new track.

• The changes significantly smooth out the ride, which was originally opened in 1982, per the park.

Zoom in: The "extensive renovations and retracking" maintain the all-wooden experience, the park says.

• That's a departure from the approach taken with Hurler, which the park reopened in 2018 as Twisted Timbers after installing a steel track on top of the original wooden structure.