Who is Greg Biffle? 5 things to know about the NASCAR driver whose plane crashed

A plane belonging to NASCAR driver Greg Biffle crashed Thursday, Dec. 18 morning while landing at Statesville Regional Airport, killing an unconfirmed number of people, officials said.

The aircraft was identified as a Cessna C550 business jet, according to our news partners at WSOC, and the Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the crash.

Authorities have not released the cause or how many people were on board, though weather at the time included heavy rain, low cloud ceilings and reduced visibility. The airport, owned by the city of Statesville, serves corporate aviation and several NASCAR teams.

Here’s what you need to know about Greg Biffle.

1. Biffle had a 14-year career in NASCAR

Biffle is a well-known name in American stock-car racing, with a career that spanned more than a decade in NASCAR’s top divisions. He won 19 races in the Cup Series, and is one of the few drivers to claim championships in both the Craftsman Truck Series and the Xfinity Series.

Before stepping back from full-time racing in 2017, Biffle was a fixture on the circuit and remains part of the conversation among fans and historians of the sport, including being nominated for NASCAR Hall of Fame consideration.

2. Biffle had two children

Biffle married his wife, Cristina Grossu, in January 2023 after getting engaged in 2021, and the couple share a young son, Ryder Jack (born in 2020), Sportskeeda reported. They often share family moments on social media, including dancing together in the kitchen and their son riding on a motorbike.

Biffle also shares a daughter, Emma Elizabeth (born in 2011), with his ex-wife Nicole Lunders.

3. Biffle played a key role in Hurricane Helene rescue efforts

Outside of racing, Biffle drew national attention for his humanitarian work following Hurricane Helene, which caused devastating flooding and infrastructure damage in parts of western North Carolina.

Using his personal helicopter, he helped deliver food, water, medical supplies and communications equipment to remote mountain communities cut off by washed-out roads, chronicling much of it on social media, The Charlotte Observer reported. In one instance, he spotted and reached a stranded family after they used a mirror to signal for help from a canyon below.

He was honored with the National Motorsports Press Association’s Myers Brothers Award last year, which recognizes individuals who provide outstanding contributions to motorsports both on and off the track.

4. Biffle gives back to other causes

In 2005, Biffle and his then-wife Nicole established the Greg Biffle Foundation to support animal welfare, including donating to more than 100 humane societies and animal shelters across the U.S. to help with spay and neuter programs, veterinary care and pet supplies.

In the past, he pledged a portion of his winnings from a NASCAR Sprint All-Star event to help build a state-of-the-art animal sanctuary for adoption and care in Mooresville.

Biffle just completed the “Twelve Days of Biffmas” series on his social media sites, where he chose random people to gift cash and items, including a Corvette, electric bike and thousands of dollars in total.

5. Biffle is an outdoor enthusiast

Biffle is an avid outdoorsman who loves boating and deep-sea fishing, often spending time on the water on his yacht.

He also enjoys tinkering with and building off-road side-by-side vehicles and sand buggies, he told NASCAR, reflecting a lifelong interest in mechanics and competition beyond traditional racing.