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.”
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