Greg Biffle, Known for Passion of Racing and Helping Others, Dies at 55
Greg Biffle earned his NASCAR stardom the old-fashioned way: He toiled at tracks on the grassroots level until he got noticed to earn his big break.
The late Benny Parsons, a former Cup champion and broadcaster, recommended to his friend Jack Roush that he should consider hiring Biffle to drive after seeing Biffle race on local tracks in the Northwest. From there, starting in 1998, the Washington native made 842 national series starts, compiling 56 victories across the three series.
Biffle, who would have turned 56 next week, died Thursday in a plane crash in Statesville, N.C., that killed seven people, including Biffle's wife Cristina and their children Ryder and Emma (Emma is the daughter of Biffle's first wife, Nicole Lunders).
Pilot Dennis Dutton, his son, Jack, and family friend Craig Wadsworth also were killed, according to a statement from the families.
Greg Biffle won 19 Cup Series races throughout his career.
"This tragedy has left all of our families heartbroken beyond words," the statement from families said. "Greg and Cristina were devoted parents and active philanthropists whose lives were centered around their young son Ryder and Greg’s daughter Emma.
"Emma was a wonderful human being with a kind soul who was loved by many people. 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. Each of them meant everything to us, and their absence leaves an immeasurable void in our lives."
It was in the last several years that Biffle was known as much for his aviation in North Carolina as he was for his racing career. Last year, he helped spearhead efforts to deliver rescue supplies by helicopter and rescue victims of Hurricane Helene.
The same determination to get the task done in those efforts was similar to his mindset on the track, where he never stopped digging, never stopped looking for ways to get the job done.
He was 28 years old as a rookie in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and while he didn’t win in his inaugural season in 1998, his talent was evident as he attempted to adapt to vehicles he had never raced on most tracks where he had never previously competed. He won nine races the following year and finished second in the standings, and then won the 2000 title in his third season.
He then spent two years in the Busch Series, winning nine races in his first two seasons, including the title in 2002.
That propelled him into the Cup Series, and many pointed at Biffle as the driver who could be the first to win a title in each of the three national series. He raced in the Cup for 14 consecutive seasons, all for Roush (and then Roush Fenway Racing). He won 19 Cup races throughout his career, and finished second in the 2005 Cup standings, just 35 points behind champion Tony Stewart. That would be his best finish in the standings, but there was no doubt that the industry viewed Biffle as a Cup championship-level driver.
Biffle was one of the most talented drivers, as shown in 2019 when, after three years of not competing in any national series, he won a truck race at Texas driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports.
Affectionately known as "The Biff," he was one of those drivers who, no matter if he had a bad practice or was slumping overall, it would not have been a surprise if he won. He just had that knack, that drive to get the most out of his equipment, especially if he had a trophy in his sights.
When he was frustrated, he was more matter-of-fact than angry. He knew which races he would have run if the racing luck had fallen his way. He wasn’t boisterous or arrogant, more just confident about how he could have finished off the race.
Greg Biffle has been among the nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame the past two years.
Biffle certainly was loyal, competing for Roush throughout his career even when the organization struggled in the mid-2010s. And while some drivers say they will only get in the car if they had the chance to win, Biffle actually lived by those words for several years, with the only exception helping out some friends in competing for NY Racing in five Cup races in 2020.
"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."
Biffle, named one of the sport's 75 greatest drivers during its 75-year anniversary celebration in 2023, has been among the nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame the past two years. While not selected (only two are elected from the modern ballot each year), it certainly is believed that it’s a matter of when, not if, he is enshrined.
It was in the last 18 months when Biffle’s generosity was on full display in the Helene recovery efforts. He flew for days on end during daylight hours, delivering supplies as well as rescuing those stranded. The industry honored him for those efforts with the 2024 Myers Brothers Award for contributions on and off the racetrack.
It was also through those efforts that he got connected with racing enthusiast and content creator Cleetus McFarland as they worked together on the hurricane humanitarian project. The two quickly became friends, and McFarland posted on social media that Biffle and his family were on their way to see him when their plane crashed Thursday.
It wouldn’t surprise anyone that Biffle and McFarland bonded as they both had a love for aviation and an adventurous spirit.
Biffle will be remembered for that spirit, for that passion, for life and achieving his goals.
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
