Jessi Combs was nicknamed the "fastest woman on four wheels." She died Tuesday in Oregon in a jet-powered car trying to become faster.
The 36-year-old earned her nickname by breaking records. In 2013, she broke a 48-year-old mark when she reached 393 mph in her North American Eagle Supersonic Speed Challenger. She set another record in 2016 when she drove nearly 478 mph, her fastest speed, in the same desert where her life ended.
Combs had attempted to beat her own speed before. In a September Instagram post, Combs said she reached a new top speed of 483 mph. "Unfortunately a piece of debris was sucked into the turbine intake. There is minimal damage, though game over for now," she captioned a picture of herself smiling in aviator glasses. "Looking forward to the next attempt of ludicrous speed."
Tuesday's attempt resulted in a 911 call to the Harney County Sheriff's Office around 4 p.m., according to KTVZ in Oregon. The sheriff's office and the Bureau of Land Management are investigating the crash.
Terry Madden, a member of Combs' crew, confirmed her death in an Instagram post this morning, stating that he was the first one there. He urged people to not give to any false donation pages that might pop up.
"She was the most amazing spirit that that I have ever or will ever know," he wrote in the post. Madden said he and Combs' family are working on a documentary that Combs wanted to complete and that a foundation in her honor will help her legacy live on.
Combs, who self-described as a "stereotype breaker" and a "real deal" across her social platforms, was also an established metal fabricator and welder. She received a degree in custom automotive fabrication from WyoTech and established a line of welding gear for women.
She displayed her various sets of expertise on TV, appearing on shows such as "Jay Leno's Garage" and hosting "The List: 1001 Car Things to Do Before You Die" and "MythBusters."
Combs was also known for her time on television, as a guest fabricator on Overhaulin', as a co-host of Xtreme 4x4 and All Girls Garage, among other things.
As news of her death broke Wednesday, Combs' fans and former colleagues eulogized her on Twitter. Kari Byron, who previously starred with Combs on "MythBusters," tagged their old show and remembered Combs for "always pushing limits."