'Fastest woman' Jessi Combs dies trying to break own record
In a tragic incident, American television host and race car driver Jessi Combs died in a car crash in Oregon, United States. Reportedly, the crash occurred while Combs attempted to break her own previous record, the police said on Wednesday. Combs was 39 and was often referred to as the "fastest woman on four wheels." Here are more details.
According to the car publication Jalopnik, Combs' 56-foot-long 52,000-horsepower jet-car crashed on a dry lake bed in the Alvord Desert, as she pursued a new land speed record on Tuesday afternoon. At 4 pm, the Harney County Sheriff's Office reportedly received a 911 call reporting the crash. However, Combs did not survive the "fiery" crash and was pronounced dead.
Meanwhile, Combs' team member and boyfriend Terry Madden confirmed the news of her death on Instagram. He added, "I was the first one there and trust me we did everything humanly possible to save her." Her family stated, "Surrounded by her family and friends at the time of her passing, Jessi lived fearlessly and her legacy lives on in the countless lives she touched."
Notably, Combs had earned herself the title of "fastest woman on four wheels," after she managed to ride her jet-car, dubbed North American Eagle Supersonic Speed Challenger, at speeds of 398mph in 2013, and broke the four-wheeled speed record. In a September'18 Instagram post, Combs announced that she had reached speeds of 483mph, however, it couldn't be officially validated due to a mechanical failure.
After the September failure, Combs intended to re-attempt the record on Tuesday, and met her untimely demise. Although the family refrained from revealing details of the crash, the Harney County Sheriff's Office stated, "The cause of the crash is unknown at this time and is currently being investigated." According to the New York Post, investigators are trying to recover laptop computers aboard the jet-car.
An accomplished mechanic, Combs had a degree in custom automotive fabrication from WyoTech. She also had a line of welding gear for women. She then appeared on Overhaulin'- a show about revamping cars- and Xtreme 4x4 (a show on off-roading). However, in 2007, she suffered a spinal injury and had to quit. Two years later, she appeared on the science entertainment TV show, MythBusters.
Last week, Combs posted on Instagram, "It may seem a little crazy to walk directly into the line of fire. Those who are willing are those who achieve great things." Her family now plans to launch a women empowerment foundation in her name.
