Greg Biffle was praised by the former Gary Baker, owner of the NASCAR racing team, for his generous spirit, even more than his exceptional skills as a driver car racing driver.
Biffle, 55 years old, who drove for Nashville-based Baker Curb Racing in the Nationwide Series (now O’Reilly Auto Parts) in the mid-2000s, died December 18 in a plane crash aboard a Cessna C550 at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina.
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Baker had contacted Biffle earlier in December to catch up and missed.
“I said, ‘Oh shit, I’ll call him back in a day or two,’ and I never called him back,” Baker said. “Now I really regret not calling him back. I missed my last conversation with him and I’m sick of it.”
GREG BIFFLE’S HURRICANE RESCUE EFFORT: How Former NASCAR Driver Greg Biffle Got Involved in Helen’s Helicopter Rescue and Rescue Flights
Greg Biffle was a humanitarian
Baker said Biffle deserves to be called a humanitarian for the disaster relief effort Biffle launched after Hurricane Helene in 2024 devastated western North Carolina. Biffle used his helicopter and boat to deliver essential supplies to people in otherwise inaccessible areas.
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Baker wasn’t surprised when he heard about the selfless acts Biffle committed, which earned Biffle the 2024 award. Myers Brothers Pricepresented annually by the National Motorsports Press Association to recognize his efforts.
“Greg was a great driver; I don’t say that about many, but he was a great driver for Baker Curb,” Baker said. “But he was also a great, generous man. Usually that’s what it takes to be a good man: to be a generous man. Too many people, when you get to that level in sports, are takers. They just want to take, but not Greg. He was perfectly happy to give way more than he ever received.”
Greg Biffle’s early success impressed Baker Curb Racing
Biffle made his name early in his career driving for Roush Fenway Racing, now RFK Racing, in 1998 in the Craftsman Truck Series, winning the 1998 Rookie of the Year award and the 2000 series championship.
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In 2001, Biffle was the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Rookie of the Year and won that championship in 2002, becoming the first driver to win championships in both series.
Biffle signed in 2010 with Baker Curb Racing to drive in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
“We had a new sponsor, Red Man (chewing tobacco), and I think we had one of the greatest race cars in NASCAR history and we wanted to put a driver in that we knew was capable from the start,” Baker said. “We were going to be driving a Ford, so we knew Greg would be available. Ford Motor Company wouldn’t object at all. A quick phone call and Greg was our driver and I’m extremely grateful he was.”
Biffle made 10 starts for Baker Curb in 2010 with second-place finishes at Fontana and Richmond.
Contact Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.
This article was originally published on Nashville Tennessean: Greg Biffle praised for his selflessness by former NASCAR race owner Gary Baker
