It’s a dark day for American car enthusiasts. NASCAR racer Greg Biffle has died in a plane crash in North Carolina. His wife Cristina, daughter Emma (14) and son Ryder (5) also did not survive the blow. The plane, a Cessna C550, reportedly crashed when it tried to land. The plane dived to the ground and ended up next to the runway. Images show a huge fire. In addition to the Biffle family, two more people were killed.
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The Statesville Regional Airport provides facilities to several NASCAR teams, according to its website. According to the Federal Aviation Authority, the plane was attempting to land. Witnesses report that the plane was “flying far too low” just before it crashed, according to the report The Daily Mail. The weather conditions would not have been ideal on Thursday morning. Visibility was low due to heavy rain and a low cloud cover.
Greg Biffle at a NASCAR race in August 2025.
Biffle was the 2002 NASCAR Busch Series champion and the 2000 Craftsman Truck Series champion. In 2023, he was named one of the 75 best drivers in the sport for his 19 victories at the highest level. Biffle married his wife Cristina Grossu in 2022. Together they had a son Ryder. He also had a daughter Emma from a previous marriage.
Richard Hudson, Republican congressman for North Carolina and a family friend, confirmed the deaths of Biffle, his wife and children. “I am deeply affected by the loss of Greg, Cristina and their children. My thoughts go out to all who loved them,” Hudson wrote on X on Thursday, December 18. “They were friends who dedicated their lives to helping others. Greg was a great NASCAR champion who enthused millions of fans. But he was also an exceptional human being who will be remembered as much for his service to others as for his fearlessness on the track.”