# Kari's maternity leave replacement, Jessi Combs, dies in her rocket car. \[Mythbusters\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 28, 2019, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karis-maternity-leave-replacement-jessi-combs-dies-in-her-rocket-car-mythbusters/839365 "2019-08-28T16:32:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karis-maternity-leave-replacement-jessi-combs-dies-in-her-rocket-car-mythbusters/839365/1 "2019-08-28T16:32:04Z")
[Sad but oddly appropriate way to go.](https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a28843412/jessi-combs-killed-in-land-speed-record-crash/) I honestly found her fake and more than a little annoying while she was on the show but, damn, not explode-in-a-car level annoying. If she had stuck with being the actual badass she was instead of trying to out-enthuse the already over-enthusiastic regular cast, she would have made out better. Rest in peace, daredevil. ---
**Author:** ![Frazzled](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frazzled/32/3368_2.png) [@Frazzled](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frazzled)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karis-maternity-leave-replacement-jessi-combs-dies-in-her-rocket-car-mythbusters/839365/2 "2019-08-28T17:34:29Z")
That’s very sad! I remember when she hosted and I really liked her. Sure she was enthusiastic but she seemed fun - I liked Kari more but I thought Jessie was a good stand in. Sounds like she died doing what she loved. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karis-maternity-leave-replacement-jessi-combs-dies-in-her-rocket-car-mythbusters/839365/3 "2019-08-28T17:48:06Z")
I’ve never heard the name, but I recognize the picture. She was on one of the car [repair/upgrade] shows on Velocity. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karis-maternity-leave-replacement-jessi-combs-dies-in-her-rocket-car-mythbusters/839365/4 "2019-08-28T19:48:32Z")
[Moderating] I would have thought that “Kari” and “Rocket car” would make it clear, but I’ve added [Mythbusters] to the title for context. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karis-maternity-leave-replacement-jessi-combs-dies-in-her-rocket-car-mythbusters/839365/5 "2019-08-28T19:51:53Z")
> [@Frazzled](#): > > That’s very sad! I remember when she hosted and I really liked her. Sure she was enthusiastic but she seemed fun - I liked Kari more but I thought Jessie was a good stand in. Sounds like she died doing what she loved. Ditto. Not my personal style to do things that are liable to kill you, but I trust that she knew what she was getting into and was comfortable with her decision. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karis-maternity-leave-replacement-jessi-combs-dies-in-her-rocket-car-mythbusters/839365/6 "2019-08-28T20:20:03Z")
Sad news indeed. There are very few details about what happened. You’d think a vehicle like that would have a roll cage, active restraints, HANS device, and so forth (maybe I’m wrong). I guess you can’t completely eliminate risk at 400-plus MPH, and as **Sage Rat** pointed out, she knew what she was getting into. R.I.P. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karis-maternity-leave-replacement-jessi-combs-dies-in-her-rocket-car-mythbusters/839365/7 "2019-08-28T21:07:33Z")
“Combs held the title of “fastest woman on four wheels” after setting a record of 398 mph in her jet-powered North American Eagle Supersonic Speed Challenger in 2013. More recently, she had [piloted that same car to 483.227 mph in a single shakedown run in October 2018](https://www.jessicombs.com/single-post/2018/10/04/New-Top-Speed-483227-mph), though that run ended prematurely with mechanical troubles.” Holy crap! ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karis-maternity-leave-replacement-jessi-combs-dies-in-her-rocket-car-mythbusters/839365/8 "2019-08-28T21:32:50Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > [Moderating] > I would have thought that “Kari” and “Rocket car” would make it clear, but I’ve added [Mythbusters] to the title for context. Dang! I thought I mentioned Mythbusters when describing the ‘regular the cast’. Shoulda read ‘the regular Mythbusters cast’ Thanks for fixing my brain fart. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karis-maternity-leave-replacement-jessi-combs-dies-in-her-rocket-car-mythbusters/839365/9 "2019-08-28T22:07:25Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > Sad news indeed. There are very few details about what happened. You’d think a vehicle like that would have a roll cage, active restraints, HANS device, and so forth (maybe I’m wrong). I guess you can’t completely eliminate risk at 400-plus MPH, and as **Sage Rat** pointed out, she knew what she was getting into. > > R.I.P. One key to speed, as Lotus says, is to add lightness. It could be that they determined that they weren’t going to get a record while being safe and simply engineered for speed-only, no compromises. Or, simply, at those speeds, you’re just not going to be safe with any device capable of reaching those speeds. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karis-maternity-leave-replacement-jessi-combs-dies-in-her-rocket-car-mythbusters/839365/10 "2019-08-28T22:38:23Z")
I didn’t make the connection to Mythbusters but she was on a lot of shows on Velocity (car enthusiast channel). She knew her stuff when it came to cars. I will miss being able to watch her. And, if you are going from almost 500 mph to zero not under control no matter how solid your roll cages, carbon fiber tubs, helmets, safety belts, etc. is not going to help you. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2019, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karis-maternity-leave-replacement-jessi-combs-dies-in-her-rocket-car-mythbusters/839365/11 "2019-08-29T02:50:30Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > One key to speed, as Lotus says, is to add lightness. > > It could be that they determined that they weren’t going to get a record while being safe and simply engineered for speed-only, no compromises. > > Or, simply, at those speeds, you’re just not going to be safe with any device capable of reaching those speeds. And lots of people died in lotuseseses. There are regulations now to assure a minimum of safety in all racing series as a result. Though I’m not so sure about what that is for land speed records or if it was sanctioned by any governing body. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2019, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karis-maternity-leave-replacement-jessi-combs-dies-in-her-rocket-car-mythbusters/839365/12 "2019-08-29T02:59:57Z")
Reasonable safety is possible at 400+ mph. Having the rigid earth a few inches away seriously complicates the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2019, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karis-maternity-leave-replacement-jessi-combs-dies-in-her-rocket-car-mythbusters/839365/13 "2019-08-29T05:27:58Z")
At those speeds, you are ballast. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2019, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karis-maternity-leave-replacement-jessi-combs-dies-in-her-rocket-car-mythbusters/839365/14 "2019-08-29T08:08:39Z")
At those speeds, all the safety devices might keep your body largely intact, but if the stop is too abrupt your skull will stop moving before the brain inside it, and your brain will slam into the wall of your skull and several hundred miles per hour. This is not good. Apparently when they called 911 they told the operator she was already deceased. Which makes me wonder if there was a catastrophic break up that, um… resulted in injuries that you can tell from some distance are incompatible with life. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2019, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karis-maternity-leave-replacement-jessi-combs-dies-in-her-rocket-car-mythbusters/839365/15 "2019-08-29T08:55:52Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > [Moderating] > I would have thought that “Kari” and “Rocket car” would make it clear, but I’ve added [Mythbusters] to the title for context. You should know by now that what’s clear to you may be totally unclear to some others. Even with the additional [Mythbusters] I had to read the link to know who she was. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2019, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karis-maternity-leave-replacement-jessi-combs-dies-in-her-rocket-car-mythbusters/839365/16 "2019-08-29T10:23:51Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > Sad news indeed. There are very few details about what happened. You’d think a vehicle like that would have a roll cage, active restraints, HANS device, and so forth (maybe I’m wrong). It probably did have all of those things, which will help in a lower-speed crash. But if the vehicle gets sideways or disintegrates at 400 MPH, that kind of insane speed pretty much guarantees that even an intact roll cage will undergo rotational accelerations and velocities (as it tumbles across the desert) that are going to be incompatible with life. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2019, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karis-maternity-leave-replacement-jessi-combs-dies-in-her-rocket-car-mythbusters/839365/17 "2019-08-29T10:31:41Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > You should know by now that what’s clear to you may be totally unclear to some others. Even with the additional [Mythbusters] I had to read the link to know who she was. Yeah, “Former Mythbusters cast member Jessi dies in rocket car crash” would have been clearer.