Jessi Combs
WoMo racing // Rapid City, South Dakota
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Jessi Combs was a trailblazing fabricator and racer who conquered King of the Hammers twice, won Ultra4’s National Championship, and earned “Fastest Woman on Earth” with a 522.783 mph land speed record.
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Jessi Combs earned the title “Fastest Woman on Earth” with a land speed record of 522.783 mph, but her legacy extends far beyond that single achievement—she was a trailblazing fabricator, television personality, and fierce advocate who shattered gender barriers across multiple motorsports disciplines.
EARLY YEARS
Born July 27, 1980, in Rapid City, South Dakota, Jessi grew up in a family environment that “explored speed and its machines,” fostering her lifelong love for anything fast and mechanical. Her passion for building and fabricating emerged early, leading her to WyoTech where she earned a degree in Custom Automotive Fabrication. The foundation she built there—literally and figuratively—would prove crucial when a devastating 2007 industrial accident fractured her L3 vertebra. Doctors expected her to be wheelchair-bound, but after eight months of grueling recovery, she emerged stronger and more determined than ever.
OTHER INTERESTS
Beyond racing, Jessi was an artist and entrepreneur who understood that representation matters. She collaborated with Lincoln Electric in 2008 to create a full line of women’s welding equipment, including her signature polka-dotted welding hood designed to inspire other women to enter the trades. As the official spokesperson for the American Welding Society from 2008 to 2013, she used her platform to advocate for women in traditionally male-dominated fields. Her television career included co-hosting over 90 episodes of “Xtreme 4×4” on Spike TV, plus appearances on “Overhaulin’,” “2 Guys Garage,” and “TruckU.”
EARLY SUCCESS
Combs began her competitive racing career in 2010 with Ultra4’s King of the Hammers, the brutal desert race that combines rock crawling with high-speed desert running. Her methodical approach and unflappable composure under pressure quickly set her apart from the pack. In 2011, she notched her first major podium with a second-place finish in the Baja 1000’s class 10, proving she could handle both technical terrain and the mental marathon of endurance racing.
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
- 2013: Set land speed record as fastest woman on four wheels at 398 mph, with top speed of 440 mph
- 2014: First female ever to place at Ultra4 King of the Hammers with spec class victory, earning Ultra4 National Championship
- 2015: Second place in Baja 1000 class 7 with all-female driving team, personally driving 61% of the course over 24 hours
- 2016: First place finish at King of the Hammers with custom Jeep “Goldie Rocks”
- 2018: First place King of the Hammers victory, second place in Gambler 500 Mini Moto Enduro ironman 100 miles
- 2019: Women’s land speed record of 522.783 mph, breaking Kitty O’Neil’s long-standing record
INSPIRATIONS
Jessi explicitly cited land speed legend Kitty O’Neil as a benchmark she sought to surpass, ultimately breaking O’Neil’s women’s record that had stood for decades. Her family’s early encouragement of her mechanical interests provided the foundation, while her WyoTech education gave her the technical skills to build and modify her own race vehicles. When asked by Hoonigan whether she’d rather build or drive, her response was telling: “If all I could ever do was become a racecar driver: Mission Accomplished.”
REPUTATION
Industry peers recognized Jessi as someone “born for the driver’s seat,” praised for her ability to maintain a low heart rate and think methodically through high-stress situations. Her versatility across disciplines—from technical rock crawling to high-speed desert racing to land speed records—demonstrated a rare combination of mechanical expertise and raw driving talent. She earned the nickname “Queen of the Hammers” for her dominance at King of the Hammers, while her authentic personality made her a fan favorite who inspired others to “push their own limits.”
FUTURE GOALS/PLANS
Jessi Combs tragically died during her final land speed record attempt in 2019. However, her mission continues through the Jessi Combs Foundation, which empowers women in trades and motorsports through education and inspiration. WyoTech inducted her into their Hall of Fame in 2023, and her custom Jeep “Goldie Rocks” remains on display there as a tribute to her legacy.
References:
JessiCombs.com Official Biography
Sturgis Motorcycle Museum
WyoTech Hall of Fame
IMDb Biography
JessiCombs Racing Career
The Engine Block Interview
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