Retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his family were among seven people who died in a plane crash Thursday in Statesville, North Carolina.
Biffle’s wife Cristina, 14-year-old daughter Emma, and 5-year-old son Ryder, were among the victims in the tragedy. The NASCAR legend was 55. Craig Wadsworth and father and son Dennis and Jack Dutton were also killed in the accident.
The Cessna C550 that crashed was reportedly registered under a company run by Biffle. The plane took off from Statesville Regional Airport at 10:06 a.m. local time and traveled just under 30 miles before heading back to the airport in cloudy conditions.
The Cessna crashed as it attempted to land back on the Statesville landing strip at 10:32 a.m. It remains unclear what led the plane to reverse course and return.
Biffle was named to NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers list released in 2023 after finding success at every level of the sport. He won the Truck Series in 2000 and then took home the crown for what was then called the NASCAR Busch Series two years later.
Biffle was also known for his humanitarian efforts as a helicopter pilot, most notably for his role in organizing aid missions for those affected by Hurricane Helene.
I’m sure there’s 1,000,000 other posts out there but it cannot be stated how vital Greg Biffle was in organizing the western NC Helene relief effort which was among one of the largest civilian humanitarian missions ever on American soil.
— ☈ Chris Jackson ☈ (@ChrisJacksonSC) December 18, 2025
The world didn’t just lose a NASCAR… pic.twitter.com/crmNXCjFPT
While Biffle never got closer than second place in the Cup Series, he did record 19 race wins across 16 career seasons at NASCAR’s highest level.
