By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service
Greg Biffle first made a name for himself in NASCAR for his incredible talent behind the wheel of a race car, but ultimately it was his big heart and generous spirit not just his ability on the race track that may have been the biggest impacts in a much-celebrated life.
The Vancouver, Washington native Biffle, who would have turned 56 on Tuesday, died of injuries sustained in a plane crash Thursday morning near the Statesville (N.C.) Regional Airport, just outside Charlotte. Biffle’s wife Cristina and two children, daughter Emma, 14, (with former wife Nicole Lunders) and son Ryder, 5, along with three others: Craig Wadsworth, Dennis Dutton and his son Jake, also perished in the accident.
The Cessna C550 Citation – owned by the retired driver’s aviation company – crashed shortly after 10 a.m. ET upon approach to the Statesville airport, which is used extensively in the NASCAR industry. The National Transportation Safety Board and FAA are investigating the accident.
NASCAR released a statement Thursday afternoon:
“NASCAR is devastated by the tragic loss of Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, daughter Emma, son Ryder, Craig Wadsworth and Dennis and Jack Dutton in a fatal plane crash.
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.
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.
Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to Greg’s entire family, friends, and all who were touched by his life.”
The Biffle, Grossu, Dutton and Lunders families released a joint statement late Thursday afternoon that read in part:
“We are devastated by the loss of our loved ones. This tragedy has left all of our families heartbroken beyond words. Greg and Cristina were devoted parents and active philanthropists whose lives were centered around their young son Ryder and Greg’s daughter Emma (mother – Nicole Lunders).
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.
Dennis Dutton and his son Jack were deeply loved as well, and their loss is felt by all who knew them. Craig Wadsworth was beloved by many in the NASCAR community and will be missed by those who knew him. Each of them meant everything to us, and their absence leaves an immeasurable void in our lives.”
“The Biff” as he was affectionately known in NASCAR circles, was named one of NASCAR’s “75 Greatest Drivers” and will obviously be remembered for his multi-championship time in the sport – claiming the 2002 NASCAR Xfinity and 2000 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series titles, finishing runner-up to Tony Stewart for the 2005 NASCAR Cup Series championship and hoisting 56 trophies competing in the three national series.
Social media was immediately filled with caring remembrance from baseball great Chipper Jones, to championship team owner Chip Ganassi, fellow racers and countless fans. NASCAR Hall of Famers Jeff Gordon and Ron Hornaday Jr. speaking for so many, utterly heartbroken by the news.
“Devastating news,” Gordon posted on Twitter. “I had such tremendous respect for Greg as a driver, and we shared countless tough battles on the track. 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.”
Joe Gibbs Racing driver Chase Briscoe, a friend of Biffle’s, also spoke out noting the importance of Biffle’s devoted work away from the race track.
“Tough day for our community.” Briscoe posted. “The Biff obviously made a big impact on the track winning over 50 races but it doesn’t even come close to the impact he made off the track especially with everything he did during the hurricane relief. Thoughts and prayers for the Biffle family.”
As Briscoe’s tribute indicated, Biffle’s tireless work bringing supplies – and hope – to hurricane-ravaged regions throughout the South last year will always shine brightly in a legacy that includes exceptional achievement in the sport and also unique long-standing devotion to helping communities; big and small.
In 2024, Biffle received the prestigious National Motorsports Press Association’s Myers Brothers Award for “extraordinary humanitarian efforts,” stemming from his work helping so many communities devastated by Hurricane Helene – including a devotion so great he continued to supply aid long after the storm had blown through. He flew his own helicopter to the ravaged region delivering supplies and was a genuine leader in the overall effort to respond.
“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 posted on Twitter alongside photos of Biffle’s “relief team” and the helicopter he flew into the area.
“The world didn’t just lose a NASCAR great today,” he continued. “The world lost a great man and great family that selflessly stepped up and used their resources for the greater good to help total strangers during their greatest time of need.”
Those that knew Biffle were hardly surprised at that devotion. His deep passion presented itself in many ways and combined with massive natural talent as racer helped make Biffle an immediate star in the NASCAR ranks.
The Vancouver, Washington native came on to the scene in the mid-1990s running in the popular NASCAR Winter Heat Series, a rare Pacific Northwesterner making a name for himself in a sport more accustomed to stars from the deep South. But the challenge seemed to inspire and embolden Biffle, who wasted absolutely no time establishing himself as a contender week-in and week-out.
A pair of future NASCAR Hall of Famers, retired driver Benny Parsons and legendary team owner Jack Roush took notice of Biffle when he was racing in the Winter Heat Series and soon Roush hired him to drive his cars. Biffle made his debut in NASCAR’s big leagues for the mighty Roush organization in 1998 and answered with a nine-win Truck Series season in 1999 en route to Rookie of the Year honors. He answered that with five victories in 2000, ultimately hoisting the championship trophy and getting a nod to advance again in his career.
Biffle won five races in his 2001 rookie season in what was then called, the NASCAR Busch Series and topped that the next year with the 2002 series championship. It was more than enough to rightly propel him to the top tier of competition and his pursuit of an unprecedented NASCAR championship sweep – claiming titles in all three premier series.
Biffle won six races and finished runner-up to Tony Stewart for the 2005 NASCAR Cup Series title in only his third fulltime season. He would go on to race 14 seasons earning 19 career wins – turning in six multiple-win years. His last NASCAR start – at the age of 52 – came at a Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in a five-race part time NASCAR Cup Series schedule in 2022.
Biffle’s last victory in one of the marquee series came in 2019 at the age of 49, when he hoisted a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series trophy at Texas Motor Speedway in his only start of the season – and first series race in 15 years and first win in 19 years.
And yet for all that achievement behind the wheel, Biffle was most proud of his children, grateful for his opportunity to succeed in racing and thankful for the chance to make a difference in this world – something he did often.
