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Former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, 55, was among seven people killed in a plane crash in North Carolina on Thursday.
Biffle, his wife and two children and three others were aboard a Cessna C550 owned by Biffle when it crashed at Statesville Regional Airport.
Biffle had 19 victories in the NASCAR Cup Series, six of them coming in 2005 when he finished second in the Cup standings. He won three consecutive Ford 400s from 2004 to 2006 at Homestead. He also earned 20 wins in the Xfinity Series, winning the 2002 title, and captured 17 other checkered flags in the Craftsman Truck Series, winning the championship in 2000.
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NASCAR Cup Series driver Greg Biffle during practice for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. (Mike Dinovo/USA Today Sports)
Biffle had stopped racing in 2016 but returned six years later for five races, including his final Daytona 500. His best finish at the race was third in 2010 and 2012.
Biffle’s first checkered flag in any professional race came at the 2001 Tennessee Lottery 250 in Nashville. He won four more races that year before winning four more in his championship season. He had 26 other top five finishes in that span.
While never winning the Daytona 500, his first Cup Series win came on the famous track at the 2003 Pepsi 400. His best season in the Cup Series was in 2005, when he won a career-high six races en route to a second-place finish in the points standings to Tony Stewart.
NASCAR Cup Series driver Greg Biffle talks to the press during Daytona 500 media day at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Fla., Feb. 16, 2022. (Mike Dinovo/USA Today Sports)
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After his racing days, Biffle used his flying skills for good. Last year, he helped victims of Hurricane Helene by delivering supplies and internet service to those who needed it. He even located a stranded family while flying due to their use of a mirror against the sun.
Biffle had been delivering Starlink service to residents of western North Carolina and reflected on his experience helping out the stranded family whose mirror use saved them.
“Only way we were able to find someone stranded in the mountains at bottom of steep canyon. 6 attempts to land due to difficulty but we got there – got him a chainsaw, EpiPens, insulin, chicken food, formula, gas, 2 stroke oil, and sandwiches premade from Harris Teeter before we left,” Biffle posted at the time.
NASCAR highlighted BIffle’s philanthropic work when it announced Biffle’s death.
Greg Biffle holds a news conference before practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway Aug. 14, 2015, in Brooklyn, Mich. (Josh Hedges/Getty Images)
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“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. His passion for racing, his integrity, and his commitment to fans and fellow competitors alike made a lasting impact on the sport,” NASCAR said.
“On the track, Greg’s talent and tenacity earned him championships in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, as well as numerous wins and accolades in the NASCAR Cup Series. 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.”
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