The NASCAR universe is mourning the death of ‘The Biff,’ Greg Biffle, as well as his wife and two children, all of whom died in a fiery crash at a North Carolina airport on Thursday.
The 55-year-old’s Cessna C550 private jet was seen burning on a runway at Statesville Regional Airport around 10:15am, according to authorities.
Biffle and wife Christina Grossu were married in January of 2023 and share a child, Ryder Jack, who was born in September of 2020. He and his first wife, Nicole, were married in October of 2007 and later had a daughter, 14-year-old Emma Elizabeth, who was also killed in Thursday’s crash.
The Biffles’ deaths were confirmed by a number of family friends, including Richard Hudson, a US Congressman from North Carolina.
‘I am devastated by the loss of Greg, Cristina, and their children, and my heart is with all who loved them,’ Hudson wrote on X. ‘They were friends who lived their lives focused on helping others. Greg was a great NASCAR champion who thrilled millions of fans. But he was an extraordinary person as well, and will be remembered for his service to others as much as for his fearlessness on the track.’
Named one of NASCAR’s 75 greatest drivers in 2023, Biffle wasn’t born into a racing family. Instead, the Vancouver, Washington native came up driving on dirt tracks in the Pacific Northwest before famously being recommended to legendary team owner Jack Rouse by driver-turned-announcer Benny Parsons.
Biffle is seen with his wife, Christina, son, Jack, and his daughter, Emma. The family was among six casualties in Thursday’s tragic plane crash at Statesville Regional Airport
The 55-year-old Biffle got his pilot’s license in March, according to multiple reports
President Donald Trump takes a selfie with former NASCAR Cup series driver, Greg Biffle and NASCAR Hall of Famer, Richard Petty (left) prior to the Daytona 500 on February 16
The referral proved fruitful for Rouse and Biffle, the latter of whom became just the sixth of 30 drivers to win a race on each of NASCAR’s top three series.
Over 515 races on the Cup Series – NASCAR’s top circuit – Biffle earned 13 poles, 175 top-10 finishes and an impressive 19 victories, the last of which came at the 2013 Quicken Loans 400 in Michigan.
Biffle was already a veteran helicopter pilot by the time he’d been cleared for fixed-wing aircraft in March. In fact, he’d been flying, more or less, throughout his racing career, as he told Greensboro, North Carolina’s WFMY in September.
At the time, flying a helicopter was a practical way for him to avoid traffic as he traveled the awkward distances between airports, tracks and temporary residences.
Then in 2024, Biffle bought himself helicopter, which would allow him to help victims of Hurricane Helene in September of that year.
First he rescued a family in Banner Elk, North Carolina and soon thereafter, Biffle said he was making six-to-eight flights a day to rescue stranded parties, fly in supplies and help isolated families connect to loved ones.
‘All of a sudden I find myself at like almost the center of this crisis management,’ Biffle said.
He would have made more flights, but Biffle’s rescue missions were limited by daylight.
‘When I went home at night and landed in the dark, because we just couldn’t fly anymore, was my mind wouldn’t shut off,’ he told WFMY. ‘I’m sitting there at my counter looking through my phone just overwhelmed like what am I gonna do next?’
Biffle shared video of one flight on social media, showing a stranded individual in a valley using a mirror to get the pilot’s attention.
‘The mirror that caught our attention well over a mile away only way we we were able to find someone stranded in the mountains at bottom of steep canyon,’ Biffle wrote on X. ‘6 attempts to land due to difficulty but we got there – got him a chainsaw, EpiPens, insulin, chicken food, formula, gas, 2 stroke oil, and sandwiches premade from Harris Teeter before we left.’
Asked about the EpiPen by a follower, the driver-turned-rescue pilot quickly explained that angry bees in fallen trees were a problem at the time, particularly for those who were allergic to the insect.
‘Greg did so much for the hurricane relief and helping all those in need in NC and TN,’ driver Nick Hoffman wrote on X. ‘Something he did not need or have to do. So sad.’
(From left) Greg Biffle, Jack, Elizabeth and Christina are pictured in late September
Christina had been a constant presence alongside Biffle, but she wasn’t just some NASCAR wife, cheering on her husband from pit row. Rather, she was experienced in North Carolina real estate and recently launched her own company.
‘My vision is simple — creating an effortless and stress-free real estate experience for every client,’ she wrote online. ‘Buying or selling a home is one of life’s biggest moments, and I believe it should feel smooth, supportive, and even enjoyable. That’s exactly what Leisurely Real Estate is all about.’
Her social media presence revolved around her family, typically showing herself spending time with Biffle and their son, Jack, as well as her stepdaughter, Elizabeth.
She also published a children’s book in 2023, titled ‘Learning to Earn’ and featuring a cartoon of ballerina depositing a coin into a piggybank on its cover.
‘RIP Christina and your beautiful family,’ one mourner wrote on Christina’s Instagram page. ‘We will never forget your time here on earth. Your husband was a true Hero and he was blessed by a lovely wife and family. Prayers for all your loved ones left to mourn you all.’