December 19, (THEWILL) — A plane crash at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina, on Thursday morning, killed seven people, including former NASCAR champion, 55-year-old Greg Biffle, his wife, Cristina, 14-year-old daughter, Emma, and five-year-old son, Ryder. Dennis Dutton, his son Jack, and Craig Wadsworth also died in the incident.
The Cessna C550, registered to GB Aviation with Biffle listed as manager, went down whilst attempting to re-approach the runway in rainy conditions. North Carolina Highway Patrol Sergeant, Chris Knox, confirmed the aircraft had departed the facility and was returning to land when the accident occurred. The Federal Aviation Administration attended the scene, with the National Transportation Safety Board due to assume control of the investigation on Friday.
Biffle won 19 Cup Series races across a two-decade career spanning 2003 to 2016, having claimed championships in both the Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series. The Vancouver, Washington native joined NASCAR after team owner, Jack Roush, signed him following a recommendation from driver, Benny Parsons. His final victory came in 2019 when he returned from retirement to win a one-off Truck Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.
The families’ joint statement described Greg and Cristina as active philanthropists whose lives centred on their children. Biffle earned the NMPA Myers Brothers Award for his extensive helicopter relief missions following Hurricane Helene in 2024. NASCAR included him amongst its 75 Greatest Drivers, and he remained a Hall of Fame nominee at the time of his death.
Four-time Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon paid tribute to his former rival, noting his respect for Biffle both on track and for his hurricane relief efforts. Crew chief Rodney Childers described the family as incredible people who contributed extensively to others. Former driver Kenny Wallace mourned his friend Wadsworth, who served as his motorhome driver for six years.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
