Former NASCAR Driver Greg Biffle Killed in Plane Crash

STATESVILLE, N.C. — Former NASCAR Cup Series driver Greg Biffle was killed in a plane crash Thursday at the Statesville Regional Airport.

NASCAR confirmed Biffle, his wife Cristina, daughter Emma and son Ryder died in the crash. Craig Wadsworth, as well as Dennis and Jack Dutton, also died. 

Biffle was 55 years old. 

"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 stated.  

Biffle won 19 NASCAR Cup Series races, as well as championships in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series before he moved up to NASCAR's highest division. Known as The Biff on the track, he was nominated for the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2024 -- the same year he made his presence known away from the track as a humanitarian who helped save lives in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene by flying supplies to people and lending his plane for help. 

The National Transportation and Safety Board is investigating the crash.

The airport confirmed around 11 a.m. ET there was a crash. The tail number, N257BW, belonged to GB Aviation Leasing, LLC – managed by Biffle, according to records.

FlightAware data showed the plane took off from the airport at around 10 a.m. ET and then was reported to be on the ground near the airport, 32 minutes later.

Pictures circulated on social media, showing the fiery crash. Officials briefed the media at around 12:30 p.m. ET, confirming the jet crashed at the end of the east runway. They confirmed the airport was closed to allow the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to investigate the incident.

Officials did not have a cause of the crash. 

Garrett Mitchell, the social media content creator-turned-racer known as Cleetus McFarland, who has been mentored by Biffle, posted the following on social media before NASCAR confirmed the news:

“Unfortunately, I can confirm Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, daughter Emma, and son Ryder were on that plane… because they were on their way to spend the afternoon with us. We are devastated. I’m so sorry to share this.“

Biffle stepped away from full-time NASCAR Cup Series racing in 2016 after 14 seasons in Roush-Fenway Racing’s No. 16 Ford. He earned 19 wins, 92 top-five finishes, 175 top-10s and 13 poles in 510 career Cup Series starts – with a best points finish of second in 2005 when he led 1,322 laps and won six times.

Biffle shot to stardom in July of 2003 when 20 million viewers saw him earn his first Cup win in the Pepsi 400 at Daytona. His “wild-style” No. 16 embodied a new era of NASCAR, dominated by high banked turns and high speeds:

Biffle is the closest anyone has ever come to winning a championship in NASCAR’s top three national series – as the 2002 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion and the 2000 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion. He earned 20 NOAPS wins and 17 NCTS wins, totaling 56 wins in his NASCAR career.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame nominated Biffle for possible induction in 2024. He told The Racing Experts he was “overwhelmed, excited” about the nomination, adding he wouldn’t rule out running another Daytona 500.

After stepping away from full-time racing, Biffle has come back to race five times in the NASCAR Cup Series, twice in the NCTS, and three times in the ARCA Menards Series West. In his first race back, a June 7, 2019 NCTS race at Texas Motor Speedway for Kyle Busch Motorsports, he led 18 of 167 laps and won.

The win was a big deal but has been a footnote in the life Biffle has lived after retiring from full-time NASCAR racing. In the wake of Hurricane Helene in 2024, he offered his helicopter to help with relief efforts and went on to help with relief efforts in Jamaica.

Biffle spoke to WFMY News 2 about his work in a sit-down interview: