By Jenna Fryer | Related Press
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Greg Biffle was picked by NASCAR as one in all its prime 75 drivers in historical past. He was a Corridor of Fame nominee for the inventory automotive sequence and he drove for 18 years on the prime of the game.
But for all of the races and the handful of memorable wins, he’s maybe greatest remembered for his selfless and tireless work serving to others as a helicopter pilot supplying help a 12 months in the past within the devastation left behind by Hurricane Helene.
Biffle liked flying and he was within the air once more Thursday, aboard a small jet that crashed on the Statesville airport north of Charlotte, authorities mentioned. He was believed to be amongst seven individuals killed, together with his spouse and two youngsters. He was 55.
“This tragedy has left all of our households heartbroken past phrases,” mentioned a joint assertion launched on behalf of the victims. “Greg and Cristina have been devoted dad and mom and lively philanthropists whose lives have been centered round their younger son Ryder and Greg’s daughter Emma. Emma was an exquisite human being with a form soul who was liked by many individuals. Ryder was an lively, curious and infinitely joyful little one.”
The assertion recognized the others on board as Dennis Dutton, his son, Jack. and Craig Wadsworth, all “beloved by many within the NASCAR neighborhood.”
“Every of them meant all the pieces to us, and their absence leaves an immeasurable void in our lives,” the assertion mentioned.
Biffle gained championships in each the lower-tier nationwide Truck and Xfinity Collection — the primary driver to take action — and spent nearly his complete profession driving for Roush Fenway Racing, headquartered about 40 miles south of the crash website.
“I’ve misplaced a pricey good friend and accomplice in our NASCAR program,” crew proprietor Jack Roush mentioned on social media. “His contributions to our race crew through the years are immeasurable.”
Anguish swept throughout the closely-knit auto racing neighborhood, from drivers to crew homeowners like Chip Ganassi. North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein singled out Biffle for his “braveness and compassion” and for serving to the hurricane victims. So did NASCAR.
“Greg was greater than a champion driver, he was a beloved member of the NASCAR neighborhood, a fierce competitor, and a good friend to so many,” the sequence mentioned. “Past his racing profession, he gave of himself for the betterment of our neighborhood. Most notably, Greg spent numerous hours of his time serving to the residents of North Carolina in the course of the disasters that adopted Hurricane Helene. His tireless work saved lives.”
A local of Vancouver, Washington, Biffle remodeled 800 begins throughout NASCAR’s three sequence and gained the Truck Collection title in 2000 and the Xfinity title in 2002. In all, he gained 54 races throughout NASCAR’s three nationwide circuits, together with 19 on the prime Cup Collection degree. He completed second within the championship standings to Tony Stewart in 2005, his greatest season, and three years later turn out to be the primary driver to win two playoff races in a single 12 months.
Biffle made his Cup debut in 2002. He earned his slot with Roush via its previous “Gong Present” technique of choosing drivers by which candidates would go head-to-hear attempting to earn a job with one of many prime groups in NASCAR.
He transitioned into semi-retirement in 2016, however returned in 2022 to run 5 races, together with the Daytona 500. He was 52 on the time.
“I had such large respect for Greg as a driver, and we shared numerous robust battles on the monitor,” retired Corridor of Fame driver Jeff Gordon wrote on social media. “Like so many others, I used to be impressed by his tireless aid work throughout Hurricane Helene. My coronary heart goes out to the Biffle household and everybody hurting.”
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FILE – NASCAR driver Greg Biffle holds his daughter Emma Elizabeth throughout driver introductions fo the NASCAR Talladega auto race at Talladega Superspeedway, Sunday, Could 1, 2016, in Talladega, Ala. (AP Photograph/Brynn Anderson, File)
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FILE – NASCAR driver Greg Biffle holds his daughter Emma Elizabeth throughout driver introductions fo the NASCAR Talladega auto race at Talladega Superspeedway, Sunday, Could 1, 2016, in Talladega, Ala. (AP Photograph/Brynn Anderson, File)
Piloting was a deep love and Biffle’s YouTube channel and social accounts have been stuffed with joyful outings with family and friends. In 2024, Biffle gained the Nationwide Motorsports Press Affiliation’s Myers Brothers Award for his humanitarian help efforts within the wake of Helene. Biffle piloted his private helicopter to ship provides and help to hard-hit communities in Western North Carolina and East Tennessee.
Throughout one in all his journeys to the mountains, a trapped man signaled Biffle for assist with a mirror. After a number of makes an attempt, Biffle was in a position to land his helicopter and supply provides to the person and his neighbors. He returned this 12 months to examine in.
“I had no thought at that time limit how devastating this storm was,” Biffle defined later. “What began out to be rescuing one household … became 4,000 messages. … It went viral.”
One in every of his companions within the effort was good friend Garrett Mitchell, a YouTuber and race automotive driver often called Cleetus McFarland. Mitchell mentioned the Biffle household was on its strategy to spend Thursday afternoon with him in Florida.
“We’re devastated,” Mitchell wrote on Fb.
So was U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina.
“The Biffles flew lots of of rescue missions in Western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene,” Hudson wrote on social media. “The final time I spoke with Cristina, simply a few weeks in the past, she reached out to ask how she might assist with aid efforts in Jamaica. That’s who the Biffles have been.”
Roush, the crew proprietor, was concerned in a number of aircraft crashes throughout his years as a pilot and almost died in a 2002 crash by which he landed the other way up in a lake close to Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama. Larry Hicks, a retired member of the U.S. Marine Corps, rescued Roush from the overturned wreckage earlier than Roush drowned.
Lots of his former drivers have gone on to attain their pilot’s licenses, together with Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth and Mark Martin, all Corridor of Fame drivers.
Biffle spent his years in retirement fabricating automobiles in his store, operating a quarry in Virginia and maintaining together with his two youngsters. Lower than per week in the past, Biffle posted a video of his household — 14-year-old daughter Emma, 5-year-old son Ryder and spouse Cristina – choosing out a Christmas tree on an outing that included a visit for ice cream.
“It’s been a profitable day,” Biffle mentioned. “Now it’s time to get the decorations out and get her going.”
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