The NASCAR community is in deep sorrow following the tragic deaths of Greg Biffle, famously known as ‘The Biff,’ along with his wife and two children. The family perished in a devastating plane crash at a North Carolina airport on Thursday.

The 55-year-old Biffle was piloting a Cessna C550 private jet when it caught fire on the runway at Statesville Regional Airport around 10:15 a.m. This heartbreaking incident occurred just nine months after he had earned his pilot’s license. In total, six individuals lost their lives in the crash, according to local authorities.

Biffle and his wife, Christina Grossu, had tied the knot in January 2023. The couple shared a son, Ryder Jack, born in September 2020. Biffle had previously been married to Nicole in October 2007, and they had a daughter, 14-year-old Emma Elizabeth, who also tragically died in the crash.

The deaths of the Biffle family were confirmed by several close friends, including Richard Hudson, a U.S. Congressman from North Carolina.

“I am heartbroken by the loss of Greg, Christina, and their children, and my thoughts are with all who loved them,” Hudson expressed on X. “They were dear friends dedicated to helping others. Greg was a remarkable NASCAR champion who captivated millions of fans. Beyond his racing prowess, he was an extraordinary individual known for his selflessness and courage both on and off the track.”

Recognized as one of NASCAR’s 75 greatest drivers in 2023, Biffle’s journey was unique. He wasn’t born into a racing dynasty; rather, as a native of Vancouver, Washington, he honed his skills on dirt tracks in the Pacific Northwest. His talent was eventually discovered and recommended to legendary team owner Jack Rouse by driver-turned-broadcaster Benny Parsons.

Biffle is seen with his wife, Christina, son, Jack, and his daughter, Emma. The family was among six casualties in Thursday’s tragic plane crash at Statesville Regional Airport

The 55-year-old Biffle got his pilot’s license in March, according to multiple reports 

President Donald Trump takes a selfie with former NASCAR Cup series driver, Greg Biffle and NASCAR Hall of Famer, Richard Petty (left) prior to the Daytona 500 on February 16

The referral proved fruitful for Rouse and Biffle, the latter of whom became just the sixth of 30 drivers to win a race on each of NASCAR’s top three series.

Over 515 races on the Cup Series – NASCAR’s top circuit – Biffle earned 13 poles, 175 top-10 finishes and an impressive 19 victories, the last of which came at the 2013 Quicken Loans 400 in Michigan.

Biffle was already a veteran helicopter pilot by the time he’d been cleared for fixed-wing aircraft in March. In fact, he’d been flying, more or less, throughout his racing career, as he told Greensboro, North Carolina’s WFMY in September.

At the time, flying a helicopter was a practical way for him to avoid traffic as he traveled the awkward distances between airports, tracks and temporary residences.

Then in 2024, Biffle bought himself helicopter, which would allow him to help victims of Hurricane Helene in September of that year.

First he rescued a family in Banner Elk, North Carolina and soon thereafter, Biffle said he was making six-to-eight flights a day to rescue stranded parties, fly in supplies and help isolated families connect to loved ones.

‘All of a sudden I find myself at like almost the center of this crisis management,’ Biffle said.

He would have made more flights, but Biffle’s rescue missions were limited by daylight.

‘When I went home at night and landed in the dark, because we just couldn’t fly anymore, was my mind wouldn’t shut off,’ he told WFMY. ‘I’m sitting there at my counter looking through my phone just overwhelmed like what am I gonna do next?’

Biffle shared video of one flight on social media, showing a stranded individual in a valley using a mirror to get the pilot’s attention. 

‘The mirror that caught our attention well over a mile away only way we we were able to find someone stranded in the mountains at bottom of steep canyon,’ Biffle wrote on X. ‘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.’