NASCAR legend Greg Biffle tragically dies in airplane accident

Known as “The Biff,” he was known not only for his career on the NASCAR circuit but also for his philanthropy.

First and foremost, he was a family man.

WSOC reported that when Biffle was inducted into the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame, his family was right there with him.

“When it came time to go up on the stage, he took his whole family with him. You know, typically it’s this look of here’s the inductor and inductee. He said can we put a couple of chairs behind me and put my children? Absolutely, we’ll do that,” Hall of Fame board member John Dodson told WSOC.

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Biffle also provided relief during Hurricane Helene, flying his helicopter to flooded areas to get people to safety.

He posted on X last year that he was able to help a person stranded after the storm thanks to the shine off a mirror. It took him six attempts to land, but when he did he brought the person a chain saw, EpiPens, insulin, food and feed for his chickens.

“It costs a lot to fly a helicopter and he did it for 28 straight days. And he got so many people going in this deal and he didn’t let up. And he didn’t do it for — I’m telling you now, he didn’t do that for a pat on Greg Biffle’s back. He did it because he cared and he saw himself how badly those people needed help,” Dodson said.

He also helped this year after Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica, Motorsport reported.

Biffle, who was from Washington state, started in what Fox Sports called the “grassroots level” of racing before Benny Parsons recommended Biffle to his friend Jack Roush.

He was a rookie at 2 years old in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 1998. He didn’t win that year, but as Fox Sports said, he adapted, learning to drive vehicles and on tracks that he never experienced before.

The next year, he won nine races and was second. In 2000, he was the champion.

Over his NASCAR career, Biffle made 842 national series starts and had 56 victories, according to Fox Sports.

[ Greg Biffle crash: 7 killed in North Carolina plane crash  ]

Biffle was among the 75 greatest racers during NASCAR’s 75th anniversary in 2023 and was nominated for the NASCAR Hall of Fame twice.

“The entire Charlotte sports community has suffered a tremendous loss,” Jack Roush said in a statement. “The tragic accident involving Greg Biffle and his family today is incredibly heartbreaking. I have lost a dear friend and partner in our NASCAR program. His contributions to our race team over the years are immeasurable.”

“There’s a lot of shock right now, but I will tell you, he will not be forgotten. He’s going to be remembered forever, you know, easily remembered in NASCAR but now also remembered for his heart and what he’s done,” Dodson said, according to WSOC.