Former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle believed to be dead in North Carolina plane crash

North Carolina Highway Patrol said Thursday that it believes former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his family were killed in a plane crash at Statesville Regional Airport.

The plane crash occurred while landing at the city-owned airport at 10:20 a.m. ET Thursday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The cause of the crash was not immediately clear, but the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident.

North Carolina Highway Patrol's Chris Knox said authorities believe the former NASCAR driver and his family were on the plane because people identified him boarding the plane. He is believed to have been traveling with his wife and two children.

"That is the initial belief, that Mr. Greg Biffle from visual people identifying him entering the plane along with immediate family memberships," Knox said, according to NBC News. "We will be awaiting those medical examiner notifications."

Biffle is considered one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers of all time, starting in 515 NASCAR Cup Series races throughout his career, and has won 19 Cup Series races. 

North Carolina GOP Rep. Richard Hudson, a friend of Biffle's, confirmed the driver's passing in a post on social media. 

"I am devastated by the loss of Greg, Cristina, and their children, and my heart is with all who loved them," Hudson posted on X. "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 Statesville airport is closed until further notice, the airport director told reporters, and the FAA is taking over the crash scene.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.