American racing driver Jessi Combs has been posthumously awarded the fastest land-speed record by a woman, a feat she died trying to achieve. Guinness World Records confirmed that Combs, 39, clocked a speed of 522.783 mph (841.338 km/h) in her jet-powered car before a fatal crash in Oregon on 27 August 2019.
The previous record of 512.7 mph was set by stuntwoman Kitty O'Neil in 1976, also in the Alvord Desert. Combs's partner, Terry Madden, expressed mixed emotions on Instagram, saying 'no record could ever be worth her not being here', but added that it was a goal she wanted and he was proud of her.
An investigation found that the crash was caused by a mechanical failure of the front wheel, likely from striking an object on the desert. The wheel failed when the car was travelling near 550 mph, and Combs died from blunt force trauma to the head. The vehicle burst into flames after the crash.
Combs, a TV presenter and professional racer, already held the women's land-speed record in a four-wheeled vehicle, set in 2013 at 398 mph and broken in 2016. She was a passionate advocate for increasing female representation in motorsport.
In an Instagram post days before her death, Combs wrote: 'It may seem a little crazy to walk directly into the line of fire… those who are willing, are those who achieve great things. People say I'm crazy. I say thank you ;).'
