A business jet with six people aboard crashed Thursday at a regional airport in North Carolina used by NASCAR teams and Fortune 500 companies, erupting in a large fire and killing multiple people, authorities said.

Flight records show the plane was registered to a company run by retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle.

There were six people on the Cessna C550 that crashed while landing at Statesville Regional Airport, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) north of Charlotte, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

“I can confirm there were fatalities,” Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell said.

Biffle grew up in Clark County and graduated from Camas High School in 1988. Years later, Biffle began dominating the Northwest stock car short track circuit, including races at Portland Speedway. Biffle currently has co-ownership in several Northwest race car tracks.

Golfers playing next to the airport were shocked as they witnessed the disaster, even dropping to the ground at the Lakewood Golf Club while the plane was overhead. The ninth hole was covered with debris.

“We were like, ‘Oh my gosh! That’s way too low,’” said Joshua Green of Mooresville. “It was scary.”

The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA were investigating. AccuWeather says there was some drizzle and clouds at the time of the crash.

The plane took off from the airport shortly after 10 a.m. but then returned and was attempting to land there, according to tracking data posted by FlightAware.com.

The plane had planned to fly later from Sarasota, Florida, to Treasure Cay International Airport in the Bahamas before returning to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and then to Statesville by evening, data showed.

Video from WSOC-TV showed first responders rushing onto the runway as flames burned near scattered wreckage from the plane.

The airport’s website states that it offers corporate aviation facilities for Fortune 500 companies and several NASCAR teams.

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FOX Sports and IndyCar have announced the race broadcast start times for the upcoming 2026 season.

For the second consecutive year, IndyCar will have a record 19 network windows, with all 17 races featured on broadcast television. It is also the second time in as many years that IndyCar will be the only premier motorsports series in North America with all races broadcast on network television.

Unique to this upcoming season is the summer stretch that also features FOX Sports’ coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The opening match on Sunday, June 21, will lead into the IndyCar Series round at Road America set for 2 pm (all times Eastern). That theme continues as one game in the World Cup’s round of 16 follows the 12:30 pm start time for the race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on July 5.

The only broadcast time unconfirmed is the Music City Grand Prix at Nashville Superspeedway on Sunday, July 19, with the 400-mile race immediately following the FIFA World Cup Final. A start time will be confirmed at a later date.

Patricio O’ward, Arrow McLaren

Photo by: Michael L. Levitt / Lumen via Getty Images

The 2025 season was the first year of IndyCar’s multi-year partnership with FOX Sports, with viewership increasing 27% from the previous season. It was the “fastest growth curve of any major sport,” according to the press release. 

“Once again FOX Sports is providing an unparalleled platform to showcase the most competitive and dynamic racing series on the planet,” Penske Entertainment Corp. president and CEO Mark Miles said. “On the heels of significant milestones and momentum last year, this new season will provide meaningful opportunities to reach new audiences and build upon the best growth trajectory in all of sports.”

Other notables of the broadcast schedule include the second round of the season at Phoenix Raceway, which will be a unique shared weekend with NASCAR. IndyCar’s return to the 1-mile oval for the first time since 2018 will see race coverage for North America’s premier open-wheel championship begin at 3 pm Sunday, March 7.

The inaugural Grand Prix of Arlington is set for Sunday, March 15, with a 30-minute prerace beginning at 12:30 pm.

Coverage for qualifying for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 begins at 4 pm on Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17. Additionally, “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” on Sunday, May 24 will feature an extensive six-hour broadcast for the second consecutive year, beginning at 10 am.

IndyCar’s debut round on the Streets of Markham at 12 pm on Sunday, August 16.

Lastly, the 2026 season finale is set for Labor Day weekend in a return to Laguna Seca, with coverage beginning with a prerace show at 2:30 pm on Sunday, Sept. 6.

“There is so much to look forward to on the 2026 NTT IndyCar Series schedule, including our first race at Arlington,” said Pato O’Ward, driver of the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. “As we have already seen in this new partnership, it is one of the most exciting, new additions to our calendar in recent years, and FOX Sports will provide the perfect showcase for our fans watching on TV. The new season can’t get here soon enough.”

Coverage of all IndyCar practice and qualifying sessions will be featured on either FS1 or FS2, FOX One and the FOX Sports app. The coverage schedule for Indy NXT, the development category for IndyCar, will be announced at a later date.

“I’m a big sports fan, so having the 2026 IndyCar schedule share the stage with FOX’s coverage of the World Cup next summer is going to be exciting,” said Kyle Kirkwood, driver of the No. 27 Andretti Global Honda. “2025 was a breakout year for me, and it was especially rewarding to see it all play out on FOX in their first IndyCar season. We’re looking forward to another strong season for the No. 27 Andretti Global Honda, and I’m eager to see what FOX has in store for the upcoming season.”

FOX SPORTS’ 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES RACE COVERAGE SCHEDULE: 

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Jimmie Johnson built a Hall of Fame resume during his full-time NASCAR Cup Series career from 2002 to 2020, winning seven championships and two Daytona 500s. The 50-year-old driver hopes to add to that resume in 2026, once again entering “The Great American Race” at Daytona International Speedway in February.

Johnson announced his intentions to compete in the 2026 Daytona 500 as well as his scheme for the event, with primary sponsorship from Carvana.

“Carvana has been an incredible partner, and every season we’ve found new ways to celebrate what makes racing so special,” said Johnson in a LEGACY MOTOR CLUB release. “This year’s scheme is sharp, it’s fresh, and I can’t wait for fans to see it on the track in Daytona.”

Johnson is again piloting LEGACY MOTOR CLUB’s No. 84 Toyota Camry in the event. Johnson joined the team’s ownership group in 2022, the same year he returned to NASCAR Cup Series competition on a part-time basis. He became the team’s majority owner in 2025.

Carvana has partnered with Johnson since his move to the NTT IndyCar Series in 2021, following his retirement from full-time NASCAR competition.

“We’ve shared an incredible journey with Jimmie and we’re excited for what’s ahead in our fifth year of partnership this season,” said Ryan Keeton, Carvana co-founder and Chief Brand Officer. “Jimmie’s drive, energy, and authenticity always inspire us, and we can’t wait to see him take to the track at Daytona with this brand new design, marking another exciting chapter in our story together.”

Johnson previously won the Daytona 500 in 2006 and 2013. He is also a four-time Coca-Cola 600 winner, four-time Brickyard 400 winner, and two-time Southern 500 winner. Johnson’s 83 NASCAR Cup Series wins put him tied for sixth on the all-time wins list in series history alongside Cale Yarborough.

The California native has raced in the last three Daytona 500s since his return to part-time NASCAR Cup Series action. Last year, Johnson finished third in the race won by William Byron. That was his best finish in the Cup Series since joining LEGACY MOTOR CLUB.

Johnson joins a list of open competitors entering the Daytona 500, which will surely grow for the event in February. In November, JR Motorsports announced Justin Allgaier will again attempt the Daytona 500 in the team’s No. 40 Chevrolet.

Johnson will also take part in a homecoming later in the 2026 season, entering the NASCAR San Diego Weekend at Naval Base Coronado. Johnson announced in November his intention to compete in the Anduril 250 on the 16-turn, 3.4-mile street circuit on June 19-21.

After a stupendous career that spanned nearly two decades from the early 2000s, the seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson retired from full-time racing in 2020. He finished 18th in his final season, ending it with a top-5 finish at the Phoenix Raceway.

Johnson’s life was defined by motorsport. He, reportedly, started racing motorbikes in 1980, when he was just four years old. Understandably, calling it quits was hard for him.

After his final race as a full-time Cup Series competitor in 2020, Johnson spoke to the press about how difficult it had been to arrive at this decision.

“For me, the hardest point was about this time last year [2019] when thoughts were heavy on my mind. And I was going to make the decision and made the decision to myself and my family, then had to go to Rick’s house and talk that through with Mr. Hendrick. So that point in time was probably the most emotional and most difficult,” Johnson had told the press.

Once the decision was made and his final season had begun, Johnson was all about reflecting on his career with pride and savoring every moment. All those memories rolled into one on that final day in Phoenix, leaving him both excited and euphoric.

“It was nice to be competitive out there and run the top 5, finish in the top 5, but my bucket is full. NASCAR has been so wonderful for me. This journey has been more than I could have ever dreamed of, expected, or hoped for,” added Johnson, who was 45 at the time.

Johnson’s final seasons in the sport weren’t as dominant as his earlier ones, and he was aware of it. But he was still happy racing because he had the opportunity to work with some highly capable individuals.

His final championship victory was in 2016. In 2017, Johnson finished 10th in the driver standings, and in 2018, he was 14th. In 2019 and 2020, he finished in 18th place. The iconic Chad Knaus had been his crew chief through all those seasons.

Johnson concluded the 2020 post-race interview with a heartwarming statement. “All those emotions and all that pride rolled up into just a huge smile today walking out on the grid,” he said.

The NASCAR icon went on to become a co-owner of Legacy Motor Club in 2023, and still makes occasional appearances on the grid. Notably, he finished in third place in the 2025 Daytona 500, driving the No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE.

Leaving the Cup Series field must have been one of the most heart-wrenching decisions he had to make in his life. But he has found a way to stay associated with the sport in a massive way. 

Calling RACER No. 337 “The Greatest Issue” might seem like a tough brief to deliver on. But inside, our new issue lives up to the billing, telling stories of greatness from motorsports past and present.

Fo us, one aspect of greatness is versatility – not just taking part in multiple types of racing, but excelling in them. When discussing the most versatile drivers in motorsports history, there are several candidates for second- and third-best, but the greatest is surely indisputable. Despite his career not starting until he was 19-years old, or perhaps because of this, Mario Andretti accelerated his learning curve by driving anything and everything, his ultimate aim being Formula 1. When he got there, he was ready – and famously took pole for his first grand prix, in 1968 – before continuing to drive anything and everything!

Not only did Andretti drive a wide variety of cars, he also won with them, and was often the difference-maker. Ferrari would not have won the 1970 edition of the Twelve Hours of Sebring without Mario’s speed, verve and determination, and several years and experiences later, he combined those same qualities with a hard-earned technical savvy to relight the fire under a distracted Colin Chapman in Formula 1. The Lotus 77 of 1976 started off as a wayward hound of a car, but largely thanks to Andretti’s feedback, it became domesticated and at the season finale in Japan, he took pole and victory. The following year in the Lotus 78, he became a Formula 1 World Championship contender, and with the Lotus 78 and 79, he sealed the deal in 1978. It’s hard to imagine any of Andretti’s contemporaries providing the same combination of driving talent and engineering know-how to inspire a team’s renaissance.

Of course, Mario being Mario, during his spell at Lotus, he was filling up the weekends between grands prix to race part-time for Penske in Indy cars and competing in the IROC championship (winning the title in 1979). As you can appreciate, it wasn’t the work of a moment to narrow down which of Andretti’s cars we wanted our resident artist, Paul Laguette, to portray on the front cover of this issue, but we feel we’ve covered some memorable bases…

Of course, motorsports is more specialized now by necessity – heck, Formula 1 has 24 rounds per year and runs from early March to early December. Which is why this latest RACER, containing our celebrations of the best drivers and teams of 2025, couldn’t go to press until we knew who was the F1 champion. To this end, as well as paying tribute to Lando Norris, we’ve also commemorated McLaren’s previous 12 F1 world drivers’ championship triumphs.

And bringing versatility into the present, we’ve highlighted a few modern-day drivers who have embraced several motorsport disciplines. One such is Kyle Larson, but in this issue of RACER, our interview with him focuses on his remarkable clinching of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship. It’s quite appropriate that he features in an issue celebrating greatness: with this second title in five years, we have no doubt that Larson is on his way to joining the NASCAR pantheon.

Continuing the theme of greatness, we’ve also tried to narrow down which are the all-time best Indy cars, but it’s a task made tricky by the evolution of the championship and its calendar. The Chaparral 2K was a sensational ground-effect car that absolutely belongs on the list of contenders, but even its designer John Barnard would admit it might have struggled at Langhorne or Pikes Peak. Our effort to decide on the greatest Indy cars depends very much on context.

Discussions about the greatest ever road course are less contentious: the Nürburgring-Nordschleife was a daunting challenge from the day it opened in 1927, and remains so today, because in truth, its evolution hasn’t kept pace with that of the race car, nor could it possibly meet the most demanding safety standards of top-rank series. But that reputation for danger is undoubtedly part of its allure… for onlookers, at least. Jackie Stewart once recounted, “The number of times I thanked God when I finished a lap there… I can’t remember doing one more balls-out lap at the ’Ring than I needed to. It gave you amazing satisfaction, no doubt about it, but anyone who says he loved it is either a liar or he wasn’t going fast enough.”

When a legend who won three grands prix there – one of them by four minutes – describes the challenge of the Nürburgring in such an awe-filled manner, there’s little doubt that it’s the greatest track.

There’s a lot more to enjoy in this RACER, too, including a celebration of another IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD PRO title for Corvette Racing, a double helping of off-road racing, courtesy of Baja 1000 debutant Vaughn Gittin Jr. and Ford’s all-American Dakar racer Mitch Guthrie, an interview with World Superbike legend Jonathan Rea, road impressions of BMW’s M4 CS, and much more.

CLICK HERE to purchase the new issue of RACER. Get 6 print issues of RACER Magazine, unlimited digital access to the RACER archive, and 24/7 motorsports streaming on the RACER+ App for one year at only $8.33/month, two years at $7.71/month, or three years at $7.22/month. CLICK HERE and subscribe now for the ultimate motorsports fan experience.