2010-Present
Jessi Combs
Born: July 27, 1980
Died: August 27, 2019
Buried:
Age: 39
Full Name: Jessica Michelle Combs
Nickname: Jessi
Location: Alvord Desert, Oregon
Event:
Accident Date: August 27, 2019
Vehicle: North American Eagle jet-engined land speed vehicle
Biographical: She was a television personality on several car-centric shows including "MythBusters" and "Overhaulin'." She was the lead driver for the North American Eagle team and had been in a quest to become the fastest woman on earth since 2012. The group's stated quest was attempting to break the land speed record of 763 mph set in 1997 at the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. The best speed the car had recorded up to the time of the crash was 515 mph.
Video:
Sources
"Jessi Combs, 'Fastest woman on 4 wheels,' killed attempting speed record in SE Oregon," Oregonian, Aug. 28, 2019.
Photos
Jerry Deneau
Born: December 9, 1939
Died: June 3, 2012
Buried:
Age: 72
Full Name: Gerald Hubert Deneau
Nickname:
Location: Airborne Park, Wilmington, Ohio
Event: East Coast Timing Association "Ohio Mile"
Accident Date: June 3, 2012
Vehicle: 2000 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-12R motorcycle
Biographical: He went through the traps at 175 MPH and failed to stop in shutdown.
Tony Foster
Born: November 1, 1950
Died: May 7, 2014
Buried:
Age: 63
Full Name: Anthony Foster
Nickname:
Location: Elvington Airfield, near York, England
Event: Auto Cycle Union Straightliners Top Speed
Accident Date: April 22, 2014
Vehicle: Suzuki GSXR 300 Hayabusa
Biographical: He was transported to Leeds General Hospital after his accident. He passed away in his sleep at the hospital from the effects of his injuries a couple of weeks after the accident. His funeral was held on May 23, 2014.
Sources
eman, email communication to site administrator, Dec. 5, 2018
"Racing granddad, Leeds businessman died after high speed bike crash," Yorkshire Evening Post, Apr. 9, 2015
Photos
Ancestry.com
Ralph Hudson
Born: May 19, 1951
Died: September 6, 2020
Buried:
Age: 69
Full Name: Ralph Allen Hudson
Nickname: Quiet Giant
Location: Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah
Event: SCTA Speed Week
Accident Date: August 14, 2020
Vehicle: motorcycle
Biographical: He lost control of his motorcycle and crashed while going about 252 MPH. It happened on the final day of Speed Week. He was transported to the Intermountain Medical Center in Salt Lake City where he passed away from his injuries about three weeks after the accident.
Sources
"'Legend' racer who crashed going 252 mph on Salt Flats dies," Deseret News, Sep. 7, 2020
"Record setting motorcycle racer Ralph Hudson dead after 252 mph crash," CBSNews.com, Sep. 9, 2020
Jeff McVey, e-mail communication with site administrator, Sep. 7, 2020
Photos
"'Legend' racer who crashed going 252 mph on Salt Flats dies," Deseret News, Sep. 7, 2020
Jerry Lyons
Born: December 22, 1953
Died: October 30, 2012
Buried: Farquhar Cemetery, Carlyss, Louisiana
Age: 58
Full Name: Jerry Wayne Lyons
Nickname:
Location: Chase Field Industrial Complex, Beeville, Texas
Event: Texas Mile
Accident Date: October 27, 2012
Vehicle: 2006 Harley Davidson V-Rod motorcycle
Biographical: He crashed after clocking about 135 MPH, passing away a few days later in Corpus Christi.
Sources
Fatalities in LSR, SuzukiHayabusa.org
Photos
Tim Partridge
Born: November 11, 1957
Died: April 14, 2018
Buried: Holy Cross Cemetery, Dansville, New York
Age: 60
Full Name: Timothy Scott Partridge
Nickname:
Location: Mojave Air and Space Port, California
Event: Mojave Magnum
Accident Date: April 14, 2018
Vehicle: Kawasaki Ninja H2
Sources
eman, email communication to site administrator, Dec. 5, 2018
Photos
Bill Warner
Born: February 11, 1969
Died: July 14, 2013
Buried: St. Mary's Cemetery, Herkimer, New York
Age: 44
Full Name: William W. Warner
Nickname:
Location: Loring Air Force Base, Maine
Event: East Coast Timing Association "The Maine Event"
Accident Date: July 14, 2013
Vehicle: Suzuki Hayabusa
Video:
Biographical: He was trying to go 300 MPH using just a mile course on the former Strategic Air Command Loring Air Force Base (closed in 1994). He was attempting to do this at the annual speed event sponsored by the Loring Timing Association. He had made several attempts earlier in the day and had been timed at 285 MPH on his fatal try. He began veering right after passing the mile mark, traveled an additional 2,000 feet before leaving the paved runway and crashing. He was transported to Cary Medical Center in Caribou, Maine, where he died. He lived in Wimauma, Florida, where he owned a tropical fish farm. He was survived by his mother, brother, and a sister.Sources
"Wimauma motorcycle speed record-setter dies at 285 mph," Tampa Bay Times, Aug. 11, 2013.
"Obituary," Little Falls Times, July 18, 2013.
Obituary
Photos
Daily Mail, July 14, 2013
Sam Wheeler
Born: 1943
Died: July 25, 2016
Buried:
Age: 72
Full Name:
Nickname:
Location: Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah
Event: Mike Cook's Bonneville Shootout
Accident Date: July 25, 2016
Vehicle: motorcycle streamliner
Biographical: He was making a test run at about 200 MPH when he fishtailed, went airborne, and crashed. He was extracted from the vehicle and transported to Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, where he died about four hours after the accident. He was from Arcadia, California, and was survived by his wife, Carol, and two children.
Video:
Sources
"Land speed racer Wheeler dies at Salt Flats," Salt Lake Tribune, July 28, 2016.
Photos
"Land speed racer Sam Wheeler dies after Bonneville testing crash," Motorcycle.com, July 26, 2016