Multiple people killed in Biffle plane crash

STATESVILLE, N.C. — A plane registered to retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle crashed Thursday morning at Statesville Regional Airport, killing all seven people aboard. Biffle's friend, Garrett Mitchell, posted on Facebook early afternoon that the racer, his wife and their two children were among those on board. Craig Wadsworth, Dennis Dutton and his son, Jack, were also on the plane. Bristol Motor Speedway released the following statement. "Greg Biffle's impact on racing is one that will be remembered by fans and competitors alike for generations," said Jerry Caldwell, president of Bristol Motor Speedway. "At Bristol, Greg always brought passion and competitiveness to our track, delivering memorable performances that showcased his determination and skill every time he raced here. "Beyond the racetrack, Greg and his family were exceptional people who became true members of the Bristol community. Just last year, Greg selflessly flew numerous humanitarian missions to assist families across this region affected by Hurricane Helene, demonstrating the same dedication and courage that defined his racing career." According to the Associated Press report, the plane took off around 10 a.m. With drizzle and clouds, the plane attempted to return and land at the airport. Debris from the crash was strewn across parts of nearby Lakewood Golf Club. Biffle, 55, was a champion of both the NASCAR O'Reilly Series and Truck Series. Best known for his time driving the No. 16 Ford for car owner Jack Roush, the Vancouver, Washington native won 19 races and 13 poles over 14 full seasons at the NASCAR Cup level. He finished second to Tony Stewart for the 2005 series championship. He won 20 races, 14 poles and the 2002 championship in the NASCAR O'Reilly Series (then Busch Series). He was also a 17-time winner and the 2000 champion of the NASCAR Truck Series. His record at Bristol Motor Speedway, included winning pole positions in three NASCAR national series. Biffle's best result in the Cup Series at Bristol was a third-place at the 2005 Night Race when he finished behind teammate Matt Kenseth and former teammate Jeff Burton. The most famous Bristol incident was a post-race altercation between him and Kevin Harvick in 2002, which has been used frequently over the next two decades to promote races at the track. Johnson City driver Brad Teague raced against Biffle occasionally and talked about the respect he held for him. "He always was a good person to be around, and a really good race car driver," Teague said. "He had a lot of talent, and I never had any problem when I raced with him. Just being around him at the track, he seemed like an awful good person. It hurts when something like this happens." Other drivers including Chase Briscoe, Bubba Wallace, Carson Hocevar, Connor Zilisch and Marco Andretti posted tributes of Biffle. Briscoe referred to Biffle helping those in our region after the devastation of Hurricane Helene. Biffle risked his own life by using his helicopter to locate people and deliver needed supplies in the aftermath of the storm. "Tough day for our community. The Biff obviously made a big impact on the track winning over 50 races, but it doesn't even come close to the impact he made off the track especially with everything he did during the hurricane relief. Thoughts and prayers for the Biffle family," Briscoe posted.