NASCAR Legend Greg Biffle Dies In Plane Crash, And His Final Facebook Post Says It All

Former NASCAR Cup Series driver Greg Biffle reportedly died in a plane crash Thursday at Statesville Regional Airport. It hasn't officially been confirmed by NASCAR or local officials, but reputable sources have confirmed he was on a plane that went down shortly after 10 a.m.

Tragically, Biffle's wife, Cristina, and two kids were also on board. 

YouTube racing sensation Cleetus McFarland said in a Facebook post that the family was en route to spend the day with him. Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., confirmed the Biffles were on the flight in a social media post Thursday afternoon. 

"I am devastated by the loss of Greg, Cristina, and their children, and my heart is with all who loved them," Hudson wrote on X.

The plane, a Cessna C550 business jet owned by Biffle, reportedly took off and immediately tried to turn around and land, but crashed on the runway. 

A witness told WSOC-TV that the plane was flying "way too low" before it crashed. Officials later confirmed there was a plane crash around 10:15 a.m. Thursday on the "east end" of the runway, but declined to say the cause. 

Multiple videos have since surfaced on social media showing the wreckage. 

Biffle was set to turn 56 next week. 

Greg Biffle won multiple NASCAR races, including two championships 

For the NASCAR community, this is a devastating loss. Greg Biffle was beloved in the garage. He was a fierce competitor, and a hell of a driver. 

Here's a fun fact: my first race at Daytona I ever covered was the 2016 Coke Zero Sugar 400, back when it was in July. Greg Biffle, 44, started on the pole. Everyone in the garage – and the media center – ate it up. We couldn't get enough of it. What a moment. I'll always remember that. 

Biffle raced in the Cup Series from 2003-16, winning 19 times over 13 seasons – including six times in 2005. His notable wins include the 2005 Southern 500, and the 2003 Pepsi 400 at Daytona. 

He won the Xfinity Series championship in 2002, and the Truck Series title in 2000, making him the first driver to win a title in both series. 

Biffle finished in the top-10 in points six times, and was named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers a few years back. 

Here's the thing. The stats were great. Frankly, though, Biffle truly became a household name after he retired from full-time racing a few years back. 

In recent years, Biffle made his mark, ironically, in the sky, where he made headlines in 2023 for using his own helicopter to rescue people stranded in North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. 

In all honesty, his NASCAR career should take a backseat to what he did off the track. 

Earlier this year, Biffle once again used his helicopter for the people of Carolina, this time dropping thousands of Easter eggs for the kids of Western North Carolina to hunt and enjoy during the Easter holiday. 

According to his YouTube video, Biffle's egg drop was done in support of the Valley Hope Foundation — a non-profit established to "restore hope and rebuild lives in North Carolina and surrounding communities" in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

Greg Biffle was a great driver. He was an even better person. An even better humanitarian. Do you know how he spent the past 12 days? 

He was giving away money to folks as part of his "12 Days of Biffmas" series on YouTube and Facebook. Here's his last post, five days ago:

NASCAR reacts to Greg Biffle's passing

Like I said, he was an excellent race car driver. It didn't compare to the work he did over the past few years, especially in the Carolinas. Again, it's a devastating loss on so many levels. 

Thursday afternoon, drivers began to react on social media. 

NASCAR has a history of plane crashes 

More to come, I'm sure. 

Unfortunately, Thursday's tragedy is hardly the first in NASCAR history. Frankly, it just stirs up some pretty awful memories for NASCAR fans, myself included. 

Alan Kulwicki famously died in a plane crash following his championship-winning season in 1993, and Davey Allison was killed in a helicopter crash a few months later. 

In Oct. 2004, a plane owned by Hendrick Motorsports crashed in Virginia. All 10 people on board were killed, including team president John Hendrick, his daughters, general manager Jeff Turner, chief engine builder Randy Dorton, Ricky Hendrick (Rick Hendrick’s son), and the flight crew.

In 2019, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his family were involved in a fiery plane crash, but everyone walked away. 

Sadly, we now have another incident to add to the list.