Driver and TV host Jessi Combs dies in crash while trying to set land speed record

Nick Bromberg
·College football and motorsports writer
Updated
BEVERLY HILLS, CA - AUGUST 02: Co-host Jessi Combs speaks at the 'Overhaulin' discussion panel during the Discovery Networks/Velocity portion of the 2012 Summer Television Critics Association tour at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on August 2, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
Jessi Combs was a TV host and already set the four-wheel land speed record for women twice. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

The family of racer and TV host Jessi Combs confirmed Wednesday that Combs died in a crash while attempting to set a land-speed record on Tuesday.

Combs, 36, was racing in the Alvord Desert in Oregon while attempting to set the land-speed record for women. She had been chasing the mark of 512 mph that was set in 1976 by Kitty O’Neil.

“Jessi was known for her bright smile, positivity, and tenacious pursuit of the fulfillment of her dreams,” a statement from her family said. “Her drive was infectious, and she served as a role model for young girls, and women around the world. People that loved her and followed her became family, all bonded together by adventure and passion. Her fans adored her, and she lived to inspire them. Jessi’s most notable dream was to become the fastest woman on Earth, a dream she had been chasing since 2012. Combs was one of the rare dreamers with the bravery to turn those possibilities into reality, and she left this earth driving faster than any other woman in history.”

The Harney County, Oregon, Sheriff’s Office told E! News that Combs was pronounced dead at the scene after they responded to a 911 call for a crash.

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Combs set the four-wheel land speed record for women in 2013 and again in 2016. She tweeted a picture over the weekend of the jet vehicle she was using to go after the overall land speed record for women.

The host of “All Girls Garage,” Combs also appeared on the popular show “Mythbusters” and other shows. She was also an accomplished welder.

"The Discovery and MotorTrend Family is deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of Jessi Combs,” a statement from Discovery said. “She was a friend and colleague, an icon in the industry, and an undeniable force of nature who left an indelible mark on the car world. Our thoughts are with her family and loved ones."

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Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports.

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