STATESVILLE, N.C. — Greg Biffle, one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers, and his wife and two children were among seven people killed in a plane crash Thursday at an airport about an hour north of Charlotte, NASCAR and the victims’ families said in separate statements. Biffle was 55.
Biffle, his wife Cristina, his 14-year-old daughter Emma, and his 5-year-old son Ryder were all among the victims, the statements said, along with Dennis Dutton, his son Jack, and Craig Wadsworth.
“We are devastated by the loss of our loved ones. This tragedy has left all of our families heartbroken beyond words,” the families’ statement said.
“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,” NASCAR said. “His passion for racing, his integrity, and his commitment to fans and fellow competitors alike made a lasting impact on the sport.”
The Federal Aviation Administration and Statesville Regional Airport confirmed that an aircraft crashed while landing shortly after 10 a.m. ET. The Cessna C550 was registered to GB Aviation, with Biffle listed as the company’s manager.
Chris Knox, a sergeant in the North Carolina Highway Patrol, said that the crash involved a single airplane.
“We were told initially that this was a reapproach, that the aircraft had left this facility, and was reapproaching the airport to land,” he said.
There was rain in the area around the airport Thursday morning, and a witness on the scene described seeing smoke and fire after the incident.
“There was a big plume of black smoke, and I saw some fire trucks coming up (the street),” said Scott Sain, an electrical worker who was on a job at the airport. “… I didn’t hear anything, but I went across and the whole end of the runway was on fire.”
Knox said that the Federal Aviation Administration was on scene Thursday afternoon, and that the National Transportation Safety Board would arrive and take over the investigation on Friday. The FAA said that it typically releases preliminary accident reports the next business day.
Garrett Mitchell, a friend of Biffle’s who is also known as the YouTuber Cleetus McFarland, posted on Facebook that the family was on its way to spend the afternoon with him.
“We are devastated,” he wrote.
Biffle won 19 Cup Series races in a career that spanned two decades and claimed championships in both the Busch Series, as NASCAR’s second division was known then, and Craftsman Truck Series. He’s one of the few Pacific Northwest drivers to head south and make an impact in the stock car world. He drove full-time in the Cup Series from 2003-2016.
He grew up in Vancouver, Wash. — just across the Columbia River from Portland, Ore. — and found success on local short tracks. The late NASCAR driver Benny Parsons noticed Biffle in the mid-1990s and recommended him to NASCAR team owner Jack Roush; Biffle then used that big break by winning a total of 56 times across NASCAR’s three top series.
Greg Biffle celebrates a Truck Series victory in 2019 at Texas Motor Speedway. Biffle retired in 2016 but returned for the one-off race and won it. (Brian Lawdermilk / Getty Images)
Biffle’s last victory was a remarkable one. In 2019, he had a chance for a one-off race for Kyle Busch Motorsports at Texas Motor Speedway. Despite being three years removed from his Cup career, Biffle came out of what was essentially retirement and won the race.
Biffle was nominated for the NASCAR Hall of Fame and is expected to eventually be inducted.
In 2024, he made countless helicopter flights to provide aid to the North Carolina mountains after Hurricane Helene. The effort earned him the prestigious NMPA Myers Brothers Award, which recognizes an individual who made outstanding contributions to stock car racing.
The families’ statement remembered Greg and Cristina as “active philanthropists whose lives were centered around their young son Ryder and Greg’s daughter Emma.” (Nicole Lunders, Greg Biffle’s first wife, is Emma’s mother.)
“Emma was a wonderful human being with a kind soul who was loved by many people,” the statement said. “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.”
Owners, drivers and other members of the NASCAR community reacted to the news on Thursday.
In posts on X, former NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace mourned the Biffle family and called Wadsworth “my dear friend.” He said Wadsworth was his motorhome driver for six years.
“Our family is heart broke right now,” Wallace said.
“One of the silver linings to such a small and intertwined industry is the support and love we have for every member of the NASCAR family,” Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks posted on X. “Today is a tough one. We’ve lost a family that made contributions far beyond the racetrack. Rest in Paradise friends.”
“It’s been extremely hard to work today,” JR Motorsports crew chief Rodney Childers posted. “My mind and my heart are all with the Biffle family. They were incredible people. So nice, and did so much for so many. We will see you again one day.”
Said Jeff Gordon, the Hall of Fame driver who raced against Biffle in the Cup Series for more than a decade: “Devastating news. 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.”
