CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Greg Biffle has been chosen by NASCAR as one of the 75 greatest drivers in history. He was a Hall of Fame nominee for the stock car series and drove for 18 years at the top of the sport.
Yet despite all the races and the few memorable victories, he is perhaps best remembered for his selfless and tireless work to help others. as a helicopter pilot A year ago, it provided aid following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene.
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Biffle loved to fly and he was in the air again Thursday, aboard a small plane that crashed at Statesville Airport, north of Charlotte, authorities said. It was believed that he was part seven people killed, including his wife and two children. He was 55 years old.
“This tragedy has left all of our families heartbroken beyond words,” said a joint statement issued on behalf of the victims. “Greg and Cristina were devoted parents and active philanthropists whose lives centered around their young son Ryder and Greg’s daughter, Emma. Emma was a wonderful human being with a kind soul who was loved by many people. Ryder was an active, curious and endlessly joyful child.”
The statement identified others on board as Dennis Dutton, his son, Jack. and Craig Wadsworth, all “beloved by many in the NASCAR community.”
“Each of them meant everything to us, and their absence leaves an immeasurable void in our lives,” the statement said.
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Biffle won championships in the lower-tier Truck and Xfinity national series — the first driver to do so — and spent almost his entire career driving for Roush Fenway Racing, headquartered about 40 miles south of the crash site.
“I have lost a dear friend and partner in our NASCAR program,” team owner Jack Roush said on social media. “His contributions to our racing team over the years are immeasurable.”
Anxiety has swept through the tight-knit auto racing community, from drivers to team owners like Chip Ganassi. North Carolina Governor Josh Stein recognized Biffle for his “courage and compassion” and for helping hurricane victims. NASCAR too.
Greg was more than a champion driver, he was a beloved member of the NASCAR community, a fierce competitor and a friend to so many,” the series said. “Beyond his racing career, he gave of himself for the betterment of our community. Most notably, Greg spent countless hours of his time helping the citizens of North Carolina during the disasters following Hurricane Helene. His tireless work saved lives.
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A native of Vancouver, Washington, Biffle has made more than 800 starts in all three NASCAR series and won the Truck Series title in 2000 and the Xfinity title in 2002. In total, he has won 54 races on NASCAR’s three national circuits, including 19 at the top level of the Cup Series. He finished second in the championship standings behind Tony Stewart in 2005, his best season, and three years later became the first driver to win two playoff races in a single year.
Biffle made his Cup debut in 2002. He earned his spot with Roush through his old “Gong Show” method of driver selection in which candidates competed against each other to try to win a job with one of NASCAR’s top teams.
He went into semi-retirement in 2016, but returned in 2022 to run five races, including the Daytona 500. He was then 52 years old.
“I had immense respect for Greg as a driver and we shared countless tough battles on the track,” retired Hall of Fame driver Jeff Gordon wrote on social media. “Like so many others, I was inspired by his tireless relief work during Hurricane Helene. My heart goes out to the Biffle family and all those who are suffering.”
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Flying was a deep love and Biffle’s YouTube channel and social accounts were filled with joyful outings with his friends and family. In 2024, Biffle won the National Motorsports Press Association’s Myers Brothers Award for his humanitarian relief efforts following the death of Helene. Biffle flew his personal helicopter to deliver supplies and aid to hard-hit communities in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee.
During one of his mountain trips, a man trapped motioned for Biffle to help him with a mirror. After several attempts, Biffle managed to land his helicopter and resupply the man and his neighbors. He I came back this year to register.
“At that time, I had no idea how devastating this storm was. » Biffle later. “What started out as saving one family… turned into 4,000 posts… It went viral.”
One of his partners in this effort was his friend Garrett Mitchell, a YouTuber and racing driver known as Cleetus McFarland. Mitchell said the Biffle family was on their way to spend Thursday afternoon with him in Florida.
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“We are devastated,” Mitchell wrote on Facebook.
So was U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina.
“The Biffles carried out hundreds of rescue missions in Western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene,” Hudson wrote on social media. “The last time I spoke with Cristina, just a few weeks ago, she asked me how she could help with the relief efforts in Jamaica. That’s who the Biffles were.”
Roush, the team owner, was involved in several plane crashes during his years as a pilot and nearly died in a 2002 crash in which he landed upside down in a lake near Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama. Larry Hicks, a retired member of the United States Marine Corps, rescued Roush from the overturned wreck before Roush drowned.
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Many of its former drivers have earned their pilot’s licenses, including Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth and Mark Martin, all Hall of Fame drivers.
Biffle spent his retirement years building cars in his shop, running a quarry in Virginia, and caring for his two children. Less than a week ago, Biffle posted a video of his family — daughter Emma, 14, son Ryder, 5, and wife Cristina — choosing a Christmas tree during an outing that included a trip for ice cream.
“It was a successful day,” Biffle said. “Now it’s time to get the decorations out and get her started.”
