The racing community is mourning a devastating loss.
Greg Biffle—a former NASCAR driver—died at age 55 in a plane crash during an attempted landing on Dec. 18 in Statesville, North Carolina. Also on board were his wife Cristina Gusso, their 5-year-old son Ryder and 14-year-old daughter Emma, the latter of whom Biffle shared with his ex-wife Nicole Lunders, plus three other individuals.
Congressman Richard Hudson confirmed their passing with a message shared to X, writing, "They were friends who lived their lives focused on helping others. Greg was a great NASCAR champion who thrilled millions of fans. But he was an extraordinary person as well, and will be remembered for his service to others as much as for his fearlessness on the track."
The Biffles' family members later spoke out to share their profound grief.
"We are devastated by the loss of our loved ones," they said in a statement published by NASCAR. "This tragedy has left all of our families heartbroken beyond words."
They remembered Emma as "a wonderful human being with a kind soul who was loved by many people" and called Ryder "an active, curious and infinitely joyful child."
The crash also sadly took the lives of Dennis Dutton, Jack Dutton and Craig Wadsworth.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also confirmed the crash to local NBC outlet WCNC Charlotte, with the outlet also reporting that the aircraft in question—a Cessno C550—was owned by local company GB Aviation Leasing LLC and that the plane was under contract with Biffle.
According to The Charlotte Observer, Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell confirmed that the sheriff’s office, N.C. State Highway Patrol and the FAA were processing the crash scene.
While details on the cause of the crash are pending, Accuweather Vice President of Forecasting Operations Dan DePodwin, weather conditions at the Statesville airport were “adverse,” the Observer reported.
“Heavy drizzle and a cloud ceiling near 1,200 feet were reported at 10:15 a.m,” DePodwin said, per the outlet. “The cloud ceiling had reportedly lowered to around 400 feet, with heavy rain reducing visibility to less than 2 miles at 10:30 a.m.”
He added, “Weather conditions are often a critical factor that investigators carefully review after a plane crash. It may take months to a year or longer for investigators to determine if the weather conditions contributed to the crash.”
E! News has attempted to locate reps for Biffle for comment.
Biffle—who was nicknamed “The Biff”—began his NASCAR career in 1995 with the Winter Heat Series, before moving to the Truck Series in 1998 and the Cup series in the early 2000s.
He became the first of only three drivers to have won a championship in both the Busch Series and the Craftsman Truck Series, earned Rookie of the Year twice, achieved 19 Cup Series wins and in 2023 was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers. He was also nominated for the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2024.
But the driver’s off-track humanitarian efforts also created a legacy equally powerful to his racing accolades.
In the wake of Hurricane Helene’s path of destruction across the southeastern United States in September 2024, Biffle became one of many helicopter pilots who began transporting both supplies and stranded individuals in and out of the disaster areas.
“I’ll tell you, the feeling you get when you win a race, you can only ask drivers, right?” Biffle said. “Because the feeling you get when you win that race, that’s the feeling you get when you’re able to help people in need.”
And his efforts weren’t lost on his community.
“Greg is one of the fiercest drivers in NASCAR history,” Darlington Raceway President Josh Harris said in April. “And, as shown by his tremendous generosity in giving back to the communities in the Carolinas last year, a winner off the track.”
And as Congressman Hudson noted, their efforts were ongoing.
"The last time I spoke with Cristina, just a couple of weeks ago," he recalled in his message on X, "she reached out to ask how she could help with relief efforts in Jamaica. That’s who the Biffles were."
For more on Biffle's life off the track with his family, read on.
Support On and Off the Track
Sharing His World
The driver made sure to share his love of racing with his kids.
Life Biggest Moments...
Greg took his foot off the gas and slipped it into a dress shoe for a father-daughter dance with Emma.
And Its Simplest
In addition to racing, Greg instilled a love of fishing in Ryder.
Enduring Love
The racecar driver and Cristina took advantage of every moment together.
Celebrating Milestones
Greg and Cristina celebrated Ryder's 5th birthday with balloons and, of course, some new racecars.
Better Together
Greg never shied away from showing off his and Cristina's date nights.
Grateful
When Greg was inducted into the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame, his family were by his side to celebrate.