Such a tragic loss.
Yesterday, NASCAR driver Greg Biffle was killed in a plane crash at the Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina. The news was first confirmed by Biffle’s close friend Garrett Mitchell, better known as racer and YouTube personality Cleetus McFarland, on social media, who also reported that Biffle’s wife Cristina, 5-year old son Ryder and 14-year old daughter Emma were onboard.
Biffle was 55-years old.
Retired NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace also confirmed that longtime NASCAR community member Craig Wadsworth was on the plane and killed in the crash. A short time ago, officials on the scene confirmed that seven victims in total that were killed in the crash, and that authorities were working to identify everyone in the crash. But just minutes ago, the families of the victims released a joint statement confirming the names of those who were killed.
Along with Biffle and his wife Cristina Grossu, their son Ryder and Biffle’s daughter Emma, who he had with his previous wife Nicole Lunders, the victims include Wadsworth, Dennis Dutton and his son, Jack.
Tributes have of course been pouring in from the NASCAR community and beyond, remembering Biffle not only for his success on the track but his personality in the garage and off the track and his heroic contributions to his community.
Last fall, when Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina hard and devastated many in the western NC mountains, leaving so many without shelter, their most precious belongings, and many lost family members and close friends, leaving the area feeling lost and hopeless, Biffle and fellow racer and YouTube personality Cleetus McFarland helped organize tons of flights to deliver supplies to those in need, while providing updates and requests for help on his social media, and he was recognized by the sport for his incredible humanitarian efforts, and deservedly so.
And then earlier this year, Biffle and some of his friends returned to the NC mountains via helicopter for a special Easter delivery, with the Easter bunny in the passenger seat, to air drop over one thousand Easter eggs. It cannot be stressed just how important his efforts were to saving many lives during the historic flooding, and he deserves to be remembered that way because it’s above and beyond what could’ve ever been expected, and he did it just because that’s the kind of man he was.
By all accounts, he was an incredible man with a lovely family, and my heart breaks for every single victim of this crash and all of the family and friends who are mourning such a sudden and tragic loss.
And over the last 24 hours, more details have come out about the moments leading up to the horrific crash, and Cristina Biffle’s mother, Cathy Grossu, spoke with
Just before her death on Thursday, Dec. 18, Cristina Grossu Biffle, 35, texted her mother Cathy Grossu, writing, Cathy tells PEOPLE, where she told them her daughter had texted her a heartbreaking message moments before the crash:
“We’re in trouble.”
Cathy added:
“She texted me from the plane and she said, ‘We’re in trouble.’ And that was it. So we’re devastated. We’re brokenhearted.”
I can’t even imagine… it’s all so tragic.
Cathy told the outlet that the whole group was heading to Florida for a “birthday trip,” and she cannot “believe they’re gone”:
“To think that they would be killed on a birthday trip, that was just such a fun time for the family. And to see the horrific way that it ended, it’s just, it is so hard to bear. I cannot believe they’re gone.
I don’t remember what the last words that I said to my daughter or to Greg or to my precious Ryder. I don’t remember. I know we hugged, but I don’t remember those last words and that’s going to haunt me. But they were happy.”
Cathy says her grandson Ryder and step-granddaughter Emma, as well as Greg, “had so much life” and were “doing so many good things.”
One of her last conversations with Cristina was about Santa letters that Cristina was sending “at her own expense” to families in need, and she had made it a point to ensure they got mailed out before she got on that plane. Cathy says it was the last thing her daughter did, and it was another example of the Biffle’s selfless and giving nature. My heart breaks for every single victim of this crash and all of the family and friends who are mourning such a sudden and sad loss.
Yesterday, NASCAR released a touching tribute about Biffle and his 15-year Cup Series career, where he recorded numerous accolades and 19 Cup Series wins across his 515 starts. In 2024, he was added to the list of nominees for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Of course, his success in racing is impressive and admirable, but he will be remembered for his heroic humanitarian efforts which helped countless people in North Carolina during the absolute worst times of their lives.
RIP Greg Biffle.
