NASCAR’s offseason was eventful and even calamitous in a few ways. The Cup Series changed its playoff format, a lawsuit and trial consumed the sport for weeks, and NASCAR lost one of its fan favorites in a tragic airplane crash.
Greg Biffle — winner of 19 Cup races and a champion in the Craftsman Trucks and Busch series — was one of seven people killed in a plane crash in Statesville, North Carolina on Dec. 18.
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This weekend at the Daytona 500, drivers for Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing — the team Biffle drove for from 2002 to 2016 — will honor him by having each of their numbers stylized in the iconic jagged font that he used.
“It’s just a small way we can show appreciation or remembrance,” RFK driver Chris Buescher said earlier this week. “It’s a really neat thing that our organization put together and is able to do.”
RFK co-owner and driver Brad Keselowski added: “Greg Biffle was more than a championship driver, he was family… He helped shape who we are as an organization, and his legacy is woven into this team’s history.”
Kaulig Racing will also honor Biffle by stylizing its No. 16 car — driven by AJ Allmendinger — the same way. Biffle drove the No. 16 for much of his career.
How did Greg Biffle die?
According to a report from investigators, Biffle was not operating his jet when it crashed in December. The preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board concluded that while an experienced pilot was at the controls, the person sitting in the right seat wasn’t qualified to be the copilot.
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When the flight crashed while trying to return to the Statesville Regional Airport, it killed Biffle, his wife Cristina, and Biffle’s children Ryder, 5, and Emma, 14. Others killed in the accident were Dennis Dutton, his son Jack, and Craig Wadsworth.
The plane, a Cessna C550 bound for Florida, erupted into a large fire when it hit the ground less than a mile from the airport’s runway.
Biffle was an experienced pilot and famously used his own helicopter to help people in need in western North Carolina in the fall of 2024 in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
Three weeks after Biffle’s death, his home was burglarized.
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See highlights from Greg Biffle’s NASCAR career
Greg Biffle, driver of the #44 Grambling State University Chevrolet, waits in the garage area during practice for NASCAR Cup Series 64th Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb 19, 2022 in Daytona Beach, Fla.
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See highlights from Greg Biffle’s NASCAR career
Greg Biffle, driver of the #44 Grambling State University Chevrolet, waits in the garage area during practice for NASCAR Cup Series 64th Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb 19, 2022 in Daytona Beach, Fla.
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See highlights from Greg Biffle’s NASCAR career
Greg Biffle after winning the Nascar Nextel Cup Series MBNA RacePoints 400 Sunday, June 5, 2005 at the Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del. This was the fourth victory for Biffle this season. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)
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See highlights from Greg Biffle’s NASCAR career
Greg Biffle, driver of the #16 3M Ford celebrates after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Camping World RV 400 at Dover International Speedway on Sept. 21, 2008 in Dover, Del.
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See highlights from Greg Biffle’s NASCAR career
Greg Biffle, driver of the #16 3M Ford, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Price Chopper 400 on Oct. 3, 2010 in Kansas City, Kansas.
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See highlights from Greg Biffle’s NASCAR career
Greg Biffle, driver of the #44 Grambling State University Chevrolet, poses for a photo on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series 64th Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 16, 2022 in Daytona Beach, Fla.
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See highlights from Greg Biffle’s NASCAR career
Former NASCAR Cup Series driver, Greg Biffle waves to fans as he walks onstage during pre-race ceremonies prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on Aug. 31, 2025 in Darlington, S.C.
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See highlights from Greg Biffle’s NASCAR career
President Donald Trump takes a selfie with former NASCAR Cup series driver, Greg Biffle (R) and NASCAR Hall of Famer, Richard Petty prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 16, 2025 in Daytona Beach, Fla.
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See highlights from Greg Biffle’s NASCAR career
Honorary Starter, former NASCAR Cup Series driver, Greg Biffle poses with the green flag in the flagstand prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Oct. 13, 2024 in Concord, N.C.
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Nov 22, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; Greg Biffle receives Myers Brothers award for his service to Hurricane Helene victims during the NASCAR Awards Banquet at Charlotte Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
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Republican vice presidential nominee, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) (L) poses with Honorary Starter, former NASCAR Cup Series driver, Greg Biffle and his daughter Emma Elizabeth Biffle during the drivers meeting prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Oct. 13, 2024 in Concord, N.C.
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NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France (L) congratulates former NASCAR Series Cup driver Greg Biffle on selection to NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers list prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on May 14, 2023 in Darlington, S.C.
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Greg Biffle, driver of the #44 Grambling State University Chevrolet, waves to fans onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series 64th Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 20, 2022 in Daytona Beach, Fla.
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See highlights from Greg Biffle’s NASCAR career
Greg Biffle, driver of the #51 Toyota Toyota, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series SpeedyCash.com 400 at Texas Motor Speedway on June 07, 2019 in Fort Worth, Texas.
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Jul 2, 2016; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Greg Biffle (16) leads Martin Truex Jr. (78) and Brad Keselowski (2) during the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
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Feb 21, 2016; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Danica Patrick (10) and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Greg Biffle (16) during the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
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May 15, 2016; Dover, DE, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Greg Biffle carries his daughter Emma Biffle prior to the AAA 400 Drive For Autism at Dover International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports
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Jun 16, 2013; Brooklyn, MI, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Greg Biffle (16) after winning the Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
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Oct. 3, 2010; Kansas City, KS, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Greg Biffle (right) celebrates alongside car owner Jack Roush (left) after winning the Price Chopper 400 at Kansas Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
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Greg Biffle, driver of the #16 3M Ford, poses during NASCAR media day at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 4, 2010 in Daytona Beach, Fla.
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Oct. 3, 2009; Kansas City, KS, USA; NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Greg Biffle (16) goes low as Patrick Sheltra (81) spins during the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
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Actor John C. Reilly (R) talks with NASCAR driver Greg Biffle (L) during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pepsi 500 at Auto Club Speedway on Oct. 10, 2009 in Fontana, Calif.
Greg Biffle, driver of the #16 3M Ford, poses during NASCAR media day at Daytona International Speedway on February 5, 2009 in Daytona, Fla.
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Nov. 4, 2000; Avondale, AZ, USA; NASCAR Busch Series driver Greg Biffle (left) with team owner Jack Roush during the Outback Steakhouse 200 at Phoenix International Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Greg Biffle NASCAR career highlights
Biffle grew up in Washington and got his start in racing by competing at short tracks in the Pacific Northwest. After excelling in NASCAR’s regional series, Jack Roush signed Biffle to his team and put him in a Craftsman Truck Series machine. Biffle won 17 truck races between 1998 and 2020, capturing a championship in the series in 2000.
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In 2001, Biffle moved up to the second-tier Busch Series (now the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series) and won Rookie of the Year. The next season, he won the championship. In 244 races in the second-tier series, Biffle notched 149 top-10 finishes and won 20 races.
Biffle then moved up to the big show and competed in the Cup Series. He won his first race at NASCAR’s top level at Daytona in 2003, taking the checkered flag at the Pepsi 400. In 2005, he finished in second place for the championship to Tony Stewart.
In 515 Cup Series races, Biffle secured 175 top-10 finishes and 19 wins. He twice won the Southern 500 at Darlington, South Carolina, and also twice won NASCAR’s All-Star race. Biffle also won four times at Michigan and three consecutive races at Homestead in Miami. He had six top 10 finishes at the Daytona 500.
After stepping away from NASCAR following the 2016 season, Biffle returned in 2022 to compete in five races in the NY Racing No. 44 car. His last NASCAR race was the 2022 Geico 500 at Talladega.
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He drove in an ARCA Menards Series race last year in Portland, Oregon, finishing fourth.
Biffle was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How did Greg Biffle die? NASCAR honors fan favorite driver at Daytona
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