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12/18/25 04:11:00
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12/18 16:10 CST NASCAR mourns the loss of Greg Biffle, family in tragic plane
crash in North Carolina
NASCAR mourns the loss of Greg Biffle, family in tragic plane crash in North
Carolina
By JENNA FRYER
AP Auto Racing Writer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) --- Greg Biffle was picked by NASCAR as one of its top 75
drivers in history. He was a Hall of Fame nominee for the stock car series and
he drove for 18 years at the top of the sport.
Yet for all the races and the handful of memorable wins, he is perhaps best
remembered for his selfless and tireless work helping others as a helicopter
pilot supplying aid a year ago in the devastation left behind by Hurricane
Helene.
Biffle loved flying and he was in the air again Thursday, aboard a small jet
that crashed at the Statesville airport north of Charlotte, authorities said.
He was believed to be among seven people killed, including his wife and two
children. He was 55.
"This tragedy has left all of our families heartbroken beyond words," said a
joint statement released on behalf of the victims. "Greg and Cristina were
devoted parents and active philanthropists whose lives were 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 infinitely joyful child."
The statement identified the 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.
Biffle won championships in both the lower-tier national Truck and Xfinity
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 race team over the years
are immeasurable."
Anguish swept across the closely-knit auto racing community, from drivers to
team owners like Chip Ganassi. North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein singled out
Biffle for his "courage and compassion" and for helping the hurricane victims.
So did NASCAR.
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 that followed Hurricane Helene.
His tireless work saved lives."
A native of Vancouver, Washington, Biffle made over 800 starts across NASCAR's
three series and won the Truck Series title in 2000 and the Xfinity title in
2002. In all, he won 54 races across NASCAR's three national circuits,
including 19 at the top Cup Series level. He finished second in the
championship standings to Tony Stewart in 2005, his best season, and three
years later become the first driver to win two playoff races in a single year.
Biffle made his Cup debut in 2002. He earned his slot with Roush through its
old "Gong Show" method of picking drivers in which candidates would go
head-to-hear trying to earn a job with one of the top teams in NASCAR.
He transitioned into semi-retirement in 2016, but returned in 2022 to run five
races, including the Daytona 500. He was 52 at the time.
"I had such tremendous 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 everyone
hurting."
Piloting was a deep love and Biffle's YouTube channel and social accounts were
filled with joyful outings with friends and family. In 2024, Biffle won the
National Motorsports Press Association's Myers Brothers Award for his
humanitarian aid efforts in the wake of Helene. Biffle piloted his personal
helicopter to deliver supplies and aid to hard-hit communities in Western North
Carolina and East Tennessee.
During one of his trips to the mountains, a trapped man signaled Biffle for
help with a mirror. After multiple attempts, Biffle was able to land his
helicopter and provide supplies to the man and his neighbors. He returned this
year to check in.
"I had no idea at that point in time how devastating this storm was," Biffle
explained later. "What started out to be rescuing one family ... turned into
4,000 messages. ... It went viral."
One of his partners in the effort was friend Garrett Mitchell, a YouTuber and
race car driver known as Cleetus McFarland. Mitchell said the Biffle family was
on its way to spend Thursday afternoon with him in Florida.
"We are devastated," Mitchell wrote on Facebook.
So was U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina.
"The Biffles flew 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 couple of weeks ago, she reached out to ask how she could help
with 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 U.S. Marine Corps, rescued Roush from the overturned wreckage before Roush
drowned.
Many of his former drivers have gone on to achieve their pilot's licenses,
including Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth and Mark Martin, all Hall of Fame drivers.
Biffle spent his years in retirement fabricating cars in his shop, running a
quarry in Virginia and keeping up with his two children. Less than a week ago,
Biffle posted a video of his family -- 14-year-old daughter Emma, 5-year-old
son Ryder and wife Cristina -- picking out a Christmas tree on an outing that
included a trip for ice cream.
"It's been a successful day," Biffle said. "Now it's time to get the
decorations out and get her going."
___
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
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