Former NASCAR star Greg Biffle was among multiple people killed in a plane crash at Statesville Regional Airport in rural North Carolina, Gov. Josh Stein confirmed on Thursday afternoon.
The official social media account for NASCAR wrote in an online post that Biffle’s wife Cristina, daughter Emma, son Ryder were also killed in the crash. Three others — Dennis and Jack Dutton and Craig Wadsworth — died as well, according to NASCAR.
"We are devastated by the loss of our loved ones," the families of the deceased said in a joint statement obtained by Yahoo Sports. "This tragedy has left all of our families heartbroken beyond words."
The airport said Thursday afternoon that names of the deceased “cannot be released due to the post-crash fire” and their identification was pending confirmation from the medical examiner.
The airport reported that there had been an “aircraft incident” at around 10 a.m. local time and local authorities had confirmed that there were several fatalities.
Concerns that Biffle may have been involved in the crash began to surface shortly after it became clear that the plane was owned by a company called GB Aviation Leasing, which is headquartered at an address that matches an address for Biffle in Mooresville, N.C.
According to tracking data from the website FlightAware, the plane took off from Statesville Airport at 10:06 a.m. before abruptly looping back toward the airport. The plane was scheduled to fly from Sarasota, Fla., to the Bahamas later on Thursday afternoon, according to FlightAware’s log of its upcoming flights.
Biffle was a licensed pilot who used his helicopter skills to help people in remote areas of the state who were affected by the severe flooding caused by Hurricane Helene last year.
“Beyond his success as a NASCAR driver, Greg Biffle lived a life of courage and compassion and stepped up for western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene,” Stein wrote on social media. “My heart goes out to all those who lost a loved one in this tragic crash.”
Biffle, 55, won 19 Cup Series races over his NASCAR career. His best season finish came in 2005, when he finished second in points behind Tony Stewart. He finished in the top-10 in the standings in six separate seasons.
Biffle finished in the top 10 in the Cup Series points standings in six different seasons. He was third in 2008 and finished fifth in 2012. He was a nominee for the NASCAR Hall of Fame and was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers.
“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 wrote. “His passion for racing, his integrity, and his commitment to fans and fellow competitors alike made a lasting impact on the sport.”
