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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 NASCAR Cup Series wins, six of them coming in 2005 when he finished second in the Cup standings. He won three straight Ford 400s from 2004 to 2006 at Homestead. He also earned 20 wins in the Xfinity Series, winning the 2002 title and taking 17 other checkered flags in the Craftsman Truck Series and winning the championship in 2000.
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NASCAR Cup Series driver Greg Biffle (44) during practice for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. (Mike Dinovo/USA TODAY Sports)
Biffle had originally retired from racing in 2016, but returned six years later for five races, including his final Daytona 500. His best finishes at the race were third in 2010 and 2012.
Biffle’s first checkered flag in a professional race came at the 2001 Tennessee Lottery 250 in Nashville. He won four more races that year before winning another four in his championship season. He had 26 other top-five finishes in that span.
Although he never won the Daytona 500, his first Cup Series win at the famed track came 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 finishing second in the points standings to Tony Stewart.
NASCAR Cup Series driver Greg Biffle (44) speaks to the press during the Daytona 500 media day at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Florida, on February 16, 2022. (Mike Dinovo/USA TODAY Sports)
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After his racing days, Biffle put his flying skills to good use. Last year, he helped the victims of Hurricane Helene by providing supplies and internet service to those in need. He even found a stranded family while flying due to their use of a mirror against the sun.
Biffle had provided Starlink service to residents of western North Carolina and reflected on his experience helping the stranded family whose mirror use saved them.
“The only way we were able to find someone stranded in the mountains at the bottom of a steep ravine. 6 attempts to land due to difficulty, but we got there – got him a chainsaw, EpiPens, insulin, chicken feed, formula, gas, 2-stroke oil and pre-made sandwiches from Harris Teeter before we left,” Biffle wrote at the time.
NASCAR highlighted BIffle’s philanthropic work when it announced Biffle’s death.
Greg Biffle holds a press conference before practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway on August 14, 2015 in Brooklyn, Michigan. (Josh Hedges/Getty Images)
“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 awards in the NASCAR Cup Series. In addition to his racing career, he gave of himself to better our community. Most notable were the hours Greg spent in North Carolina helping out following Hurricane Helene.
“His tireless work saved lives.”
