NASCAR legend Greg Biffle has been killed along with his wife and son in a devastating plane crash in North Carolina, according to a close friend. The tragedy unfolded on Thursday morning when a Cessna C550 private jet owned by the 55-year-old crashed on the runway at Statesville Regional Airport around 10:15 a.m., aviation records show.
Multiple fatalities at the scene, according to authorities. The jet, which had been headed to Sarasota, Florida, burst into flames after impact as emergency crews rushed to respond. The crash happened roughly 45 minutes outside Charlotte, leaving witnesses shaken by the intense and frightening scene. An investigation has been launched into the tragic crash
A Legend Is Dead
Biffle's friend Garrett Mitchell shared the heartbreaking update on late Thursday afternoon, saying that the NASCAR star, his wife Cristina, and their son Ryder were all on board the aircraft.
"Unfortunately, I can confirm Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, and son Ryder were on that plane... because they were on their way to spend the afternoon with us," Mitchell, who often appears in YouTube videos with Biffle, wrote on Facebook.
"We are devastated. I'm so sorry to share this," Mitchell said, adding that he is not sure if Biffle's daughter, Emma, was also on board.
Six people were aboard the private jet when it came down, crashing, though authorities have not yet said who was flying the aircraft.
The Federal Aviation Authority told the Daily Mail that the Cessna C550 crashed as it was trying to land.
Just months before the tragedy, Biffle had shared a photo of himself piloting the very same plane in September.
FAA records confirm that the aircraft belonged to the semi-retired NASCAR star, who was also photographed smiling with President Donald Trump earlier this year at the NASCAR Cup Series in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Entire Family Gone
Biffle married his first wife, Nicole Lunders, in October 2007, and the couple had a teenage daughter, Emma Elizabeth, before divorcing in 2016. He later married Cristina Grossu in January 2023, after getting engaged in 2021, and the couple shared a five-year-old son, Ryder.
Less than 24 hours before the crash, Cristina posted a photo from the car on her Instagram story with the caption: "Busy day today," followed by a photo of Martha Stewart with an inspirational quote.
Grossu worked as a realtor, CEO of My Replica Ring, and a travel agent for CG Luxe Travel, according to her Instagram. The couple often shared moments together online, posting pictures from family gatherings and racing events.
Biffle had made headlines last year for using his plane to help others in North Carolina, rescuing stranded residents and delivering emergency aid during Hurricane Helene.
Born in Vancouver, Washington, the professional race car driver—nicknamed "the Biff"—began his racing career in the Pacific Northwest.
This latest tragedy comes a decade after Biffle survived a minor plane accident at Lexington Airport in Kentucky.
At the time, a landing-gear malfunction caused his aircraft to collapse while touching down, but he and two pilots walked away unharmed. NASCAR said that Biffle praised the pilots as "heroes" for preventing the plane's wing from sliding off the runway into the grass.
