‘He was an everyman’: NASCAR driver Greg Biffle honored for humility, community service

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The NASCAR community is mourning the loss of former driver Greg Biffle, with tributes pouring in from across the motorsports world following news of his death in a plane crash at Statesville Regional Airport on Thursday.

Drivers, teams and longtime voices in the sport took to social media to express their shock and remember Biffle’s legacy both on and off the track.

Driver Denny Hamlin posted on X: “The motorsports world lost one of its fiercest competitors and kindest souls. Greg Biffle was a champion on the track and a humanitarian off it, whose impact reached far beyond racing.”

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NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon shared his condolences, writing, “I was inspired by his tireless relief work during Hurricane Helene. My heart goes out to the Biffle family and everyone hurting.”

Charlotte Motor Speedway called Biffle a “consummate competitor on the track and a true humanitarian” in a Facebook post.

NASCAR icon Richard Petty posted a photo with Biffle on X, saying the driver “was not only a fearless competitor, but someone who showed that same fearlessness in his generosity to others.”

Even Charlotte’s local sports teams paid tribute, with the Charlotte Hornets posting: “Biffle left an indelible mark on the sport, the auto racing industry and our community.”

Veteran NASCAR broadcaster Doug Rice, who worked closely with Biffle throughout his career, said the loss will be felt throughout the racing community for years to come.

“When he left the game, there was nobody going, ‘Well, I’m glad he’s gone. I’m glad he’s out of here,'” Rice said. “He earned and garnered the respect of everybody he ever raced against. That’s not saying that he didn’t have a couple of disagreements along the way, but he was super well respected.”

Rice noted that Biffle remained competitive even late in his career, winning a truck race at Texas Motor Speedway before retiring.

Beyond his racing accomplishments, Rice said Biffle was known for his accessibility and genuine connection with fans.

“He was very fan forward,” Rice said. “I did a show on SiriusXM yesterday for five hours, and talked to a lot of fans, and the interaction I got from every one of them was, ‘I met Greg Biffle. He stopped and talked to me. He signed my hat. He engaged me in conversation. He didn’t blow me off.'”

Rice said Biffle’s down-to-earth demeanor resonated with NASCAR’s blue-collar fans.

“I feel like he was almost an everyman,” Rice said. “He never gave the air that he was above the people that were pulling for him. He was one of them. And I think that made it a lot easier to like the guy.”

Contact Myles Harris at mharris5@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.