Who was Greg Biffle? Former NASCAR driver who helped hurricane victims dies in plane crash with family members

Former NASCAR operator Greg Biffle, 55, was among 7 radical killed successful a level clang successful North Carolina connected Thursday.

Biffle, his woman and 2 children, and 3 others were aboard a Cessna C550 owned by Biffle erstwhile it crashed astatine Statesville Regional Airport.

Biffle had 19 victories successful the NASCAR Cup Series, six of them coming successful 2005 erstwhile helium finished 2nd successful the Cup standings. He won 3 consecutive Ford 400s from 2004 to 2006 astatine Homestead. He besides earned 20 wins successful the Xfinity Series, winning the 2002 title, and got 17 different checkered flags successful the Craftsman Truck Series, winning the title successful 2000.

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NASCAR Cup Series operator Greg Biffle (44) during signifier for the Daytona 500 astatine Daytona International Speedway. (Mike Dinovo/USA TODAY Sports)

Biffle had primitively stopped racing successful 2016 but returned six years aboriginal for 5 races, including his last Daytona 500. His champion decorativeness astatine the contention was 3rd successful 2010 and 2012.

Biffle’s archetypal checkered emblem successful immoderate nonrecreational contention came astatine the 2001 Tennessee Lottery 250 successful Nashville. He won 4 much races that twelvemonth earlier winning 4 much successful his title season. He had 26 different top-five finishes successful that span.

While ne'er winning the Daytona 500, his archetypal Cup Series triumph came connected the celebrated way astatine the 2003 Pepsi 400. His champion play successful the Cup Series was successful 2005, erstwhile helium won a career-high six races en way to a second-place decorativeness successful the points standings to Tony Stewart.

NASCAR Cup Series operator Greg Biffle (44) talks to the property during Daytona 500 media time astatine Daytona International Speedway successful Daytona, Florida, connected Feb. 16, 2022. (Mike Dinovo/USA TODAY Sports)

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After his racing days, Biffle utilized his flying skills for good. Last year, helium helped victims of Hurricane Helene by delivering supplies and net work to those who needed it. He adjacent located a stranded household portion flying owed to their usage of a mirror against the sun.

Biffle had been delivering Starlink work to residents of occidental North Carolina and reflected connected his acquisition helping retired the stranded household whose reflector usage saved them.

"Only mode we were capable to find idiosyncratic stranded successful the mountains astatine bottommost of steep canyon. 6 attempts to onshore owed to trouble but we got determination - got him a chainsaw, EpiPens, insulin, chickenhearted food, formula, gas, 2 changeable oil, and sandwiches premade from Harris Teeter earlier we left," Biffle posted astatine the time.

NASCAR highlighted BIffle's philanthropic enactment erstwhile it announced Biffle's death.

Greg Biffle holds a property league earlier signifier for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pure Michigan 400 astatine Michigan International Speedway connected August 14, 2015, successful Brooklyn, Michigan.  (Josh Hedges/Getty Images)

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"Greg was much than a champion driver, helium was a beloved subordinate of the NASCAR community, a fierce competitor, and a person to truthful many. His passionateness for racing, his integrity, and his committedness to fans and chap competitors alike made a lasting interaction connected the sport," NASCAR said. "On the track, Greg’s endowment and tenacity earned him championships successful the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, arsenic good arsenic galore wins and accolades successful the NASCAR Cup Series. Beyond his racing career, helium gave of himself for the betterment of our community. Most notably, Greg spent countless hours of his clip helping the citizens of North Carolina during the disasters that followed Hurricane Helene. 

"His tireless enactment saved lives."

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