Former NASCAR star Greg Biffle, who died in a airplane crash Thursday in Statesville, North Carolina, was not a flashy driver or particular person. For all his accomplishments, he was a lunch-pail driver who paid his dues, received his shot and by no means appeared again.
Along with Biffle, the crash claimed the lives of his spouse, Cristina, their son Ryder and his daughter Emma, in addition to Dennis Dutton and his son Jack and Craig Wadsworth.
The primary reviews of the crash took place 10:15 a.m. Thursday. The loss of life of the 55-year-old former NASCAR driver was confirmed by the North Carolina State Freeway Patrol.
“NASCAR is devastated,” the organization said about the tragedy.
Biffle was named one among NASCAR’s 75 Biggest Drivers in 2023, however he could have been underrated as a driver. He ranks among the many prime 50 drivers in Cup Sequence historical past with 19 victories. Biffle additionally gained championships in each the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Sequence and the NASCAR Busch Sequence (now Xfinity Sequence).
Proprietor Jack Roush gave Greg Biffle a chance
Legendary group proprietor Jack Roush gave the then-28-year-old Biffle the nod in 1998 to drive for his Truck Sequence group. In three years, Biffle gained 14 Truck Sequence races and captured the 2000 championship.
Biffle moved as much as the NASCAR Busch Sequence in 2001, profitable the 2002 championship, earlier than Roush promoted him to Cup Sequence competitors in 2003. Over a Cup Sequence profession spanning 14 seasons, Biffle gained 19 races, together with a six-win marketing campaign in 2005 that noticed him end runner-up to Tony Stewart for the championship. Had he gained, Biffle would have develop into the one driver to win championships in all three of NASCAR’s prime divisions.
Biffle’s ultimate Cup Sequence begin got here in 2022, together with his final victory in one among NASCAR’s prime three sequence occurring in a Truck Sequence race at Texas Motor Speedway in 2019. His final Cup Sequence win got here at Michigan Worldwide Speedway in 2013, and he made the NASCAR playoffs for the ultimate time in 2014.
Biffle retired from full-time Cup Sequence racing after the 2016 season.
