Jessi Combs Guinness World Record

[speedrecordclub]

Guinness WR have now recognised Jessi Combs as the fastest woman in history driving the North American Eagle jet car to a speed of 522.783mph -

https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/fastest-land-speed-record-(female)?fbclid=IwAR2tbC6ScI8Th6O1FxIi7jmanNJ7DQjsTvGOGW-emWc-q9VFBSc-Pzyg6pQ

[manta22]

Does anyone take a Guinness World Record seriously?

[Malcolm UK]

There are a number of record holders involved with speed who do take the Guinness World Records seriously. Yes, there are some entries in the book for what might be called 'odd-ball vehicles'.  The GWR Organisation sets a standard for those whose speed efforts perhaps do not fit in with any of the other sanctioning bodies across the world.  Where would an Autonomous Car go to get speeds ratified?

[racefanwfo]

I call bulls**t. She does not deserve to be recognized for a non existent record. Guinness book of world records is a joke.

[MAYOMAN]

Kitty O'Neill was the only woman to actually hold an FIA World Record. She set the 1/2-km Standing Start record at 207.730 mi/h in July 7, 1977 in the rocket-powered (Class C - thrust) Ky Michaelson Rocket. Of course, that speed is the average speed for the distance - maximum speed was likely 400+ mi/h. There are no women's categories for FIA. It is either an FIA World Record - or not! If I recall, Jessi's vehicle was an FIM 3-wheeled thrust vehicle. Still no women's category. FIM still requires 2-way runs,

So Kitty O'Neill is still the fastest woman to hold an FIA World Record, I believe. She was the real deal.

[aircap]

Sorry she died, but a Guinness record is no record at all.

[kiwi belly tank]

Just another Budweiser Rocket, a non-record doesn't mean $hit in the real world!
  Sid.

[Malcolm UK]

Just to correct Mayoman.
 
Dick - the NAE that Jessi drove had five wheels. It would have been eligible for an FIA record, if the team had chosen to submit an entry with all of the support documentation now required.

The FIM do not list what Kitty did in the three wheeled SMI Motivator, which may have been because she was not faster than Craig in Spirit of America by 1% or that team did not obtain ratification of the results in '76 when the paperwork says  .... (Female).

The FIA and FIM have to be kept on the same level as both have an enduring role in motor car and motor cycle sport - two way runs and no gender differentiation.

[MAYOMAN]

Yes, I forgot about those extra 2 wheels added to keep the F-104 airplane belly from sagging. With wings, the fuselage was supported from the center of the wing root. No wings, no support.

FIM diverged from FIAs credibility when they changed the land speed record rule for vehicles setting records above 1,000 km/h - to "instantaneous" timing. How does that work? Speed (velocity) = Distance divided by Time (kilometers per hour). Instantaneous time equals zero! Huh? How did somebody ($$$) slip that new rule in. I believe FIM still required runs in 2 directions and timing actuated by the passage of the vehicle.

[PorkPie]

Malcolm & Dick,

just to clarify some points on the SMI Motivator runs in 76

1. Craig Breedlove records with the SoA Three Wheeler....only the 63 record...407 mph....was certified by the FIM...the 1964 records was certified by the FIA...albeit the racer had only three wheels....FIA couldn't accept that a FIM vehicle was faster....
2. SMI was also a three wheeler configuration (cyclecar) as the SoA...but rocket powered...and FIM has run them under rocket, not jet
3. the FIM has no percentage rule...only the FIA had for a long time a 1 percent rule
4. the 512 mph from Kitty with the SMI is slightly faster than the 407 mph - the fastest SoA Three Wheeler record was 526 mph in 64.....but FIA as said before...
5. the SMI run from Kitty was the average over 1 Kilometer...also the paper signed by Earl Flanders (as done under the two hour rules)...the FIM chief timer at that time....says....women record....!!!!
6. the paper was signed by Flanders for to be certified by the FIM....this never happens...as it was blocked by Hal Needham....he didn't like to pay the fee
7. Hal Needham did not only blocked the certification of this two runs....he blocked a fourth run....after Kitty run in her third run very close to Blue Flame speed....a lawer called by Hal done her out when she was ready to go for the return run....
8. the NAE from the certification has to run under FIA....since the new safety requirement rules the jet car was not anymore FIA legal.....
9. the average speed of Jessi now under Guinness rules is not the average over the mile......it is not known if they timed this time also the kilo...so also no kilo speed is known

and finally....

10. Kitty set a short distance record with a rocket car at El Mirage under FIA rule...so she set an official record without the ending "women record".....this one has no gender


Jessi was very brave and she paid the highest prize......she had this needs for speed in her blood....what she done with NAE was not for the show...she really likes to go fast......someone was faster......very sad end of a dream....

[racefanwfo]

If ed had not passed away would he have been in the car instead of jessi on that fateful day.

[PorkPie]

Nope, when Ed was still alive he done only the first run (if necessary) to check the newest modifications....all other, following runs, was with Jessi as driver to turn her dream into reality....

If ed had not passed away would he have been in the car instead of jessi on that fateful day.

[salt27]

PorkPie, Thanks for the clarifications, also I believe your assessment of Jessi is spot on.   

Hope to see you on the salt, Don

[TrickyDicky]

From some random web site, so no reason why it would be accurate but matches information I had previously gleaned:

"In September last year, during a Jessi Combs exhibit at the famous Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, Combs? team said they had filed for the posthumous record, since Jessi had been able to perform the two mandatory consecutive runs before crashing. Also then, they said she had averaged 531.889 mph (855.9 kph) from the 515.346 mph (829.3 kph) and 548.432 mph (882.6 kph) runs, topping O?Neil?s 1976 run at 512.7 mph (825.1 kph).

 Guinness lists the current record at 522.783 mph (841.338 kph), which is lower than the previous figure but still over O?Neil?s. Jessi?s longtime dream has finally come true."

This seems to say her fastest one-way was 548+mph and she had a two-way average of 531+mph.

So where does the Guinness figure of 522+mph come from???

[MAYOMAN]

Where do any of the NAE claims come  from? Last I heard, NAE was their own sanctioning body.
Jessi was a brave young lady - but I believe she was taken advantage of with the NAE.
Did anybody time the NAE other than NAE?
What was the timed distance?
Were the 2 runs in opposite direction?
Still seems very mysterious.