Late NASCAR Driver Greg Biffle Remembered During Daytona 500 in Emotional Tribute 2 Months After His Tragic Death

NEED TO KNOW

• Greg Biffle, the late former NASCAR driver, was honored during the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 15
• Biffle died in a small plane crash on Dec. 18, 2025, along with his wife and two children
• Colleagues and loved ones spoke of Biffle’s talent on the track, as well as his immense heart, in the three-minute tribute video at the Daytona 500

Greg Biffle, the late former NASCAR driver who died in a plane crash in December, was honored by colleagues at the 2026 Daytona 500 in a heartfelt tribute.

NASCAR on FOX aired the three-minute video tribute during the day’s live coverage on Sunday, Feb. 15.

In the video, Biffle’s friends and loved ones shared memories of the late driver, who was 55 when his small plane went down in North Carolina, killing all seven people onboard, including his wife and children.

Remembering Greg Biffle, with @mikejoy500. pic.twitter.com/4mk3zB2O5L— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 15, 2026

“Greg Biffle was the most talented guy I’ve ever worked with,” Doug Yates, CEO of Roush Yates Engines, said in the video. “He had speed, he was fearless, he was smart … He never found himself in a situation that he didn’t think he could win.”

“He had supreme confidence in himself. He would put his car in places that others wouldn’t,” Jeff Bourton, Biffle’s Roush Racing teammate, shared in the tribute.

“He was a fierce driver. Winning was above everything else,” added fellow teammate Matt Kenseth.

Friends and loved ones also remembered another side of Biffle — that he was a person who was always there to help others.

His niece, Jordyn Biffle, said her uncle, who was a licensed helicopter and small plane pilot, snapped into action amid the devastation of Hurricane Helene in 2024.

“His instinct was we can get in the helicopter and we can go look — let’s try to see what the situation looks like and what we can do to help,” she recalled.

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“He paid for all the fuel that went into my helicopter, he was the one who gathered the supplies at first. He was going above and beyond,” added friend Cleetus McFarland, who also assisted in the rescue efforts at the time.

Biffle was heading to Florida for a birthday celebration with his family on Dec. 18, 2025, when the small plane he was traveling in crashed while attempting to land in foggy weather at Statesville Regional Airport in Statesville, N.C., at around 10:15 a.m. local time. 

Also onboard was Biffle’s wife, Cristina, 35, his daughter Emma, 14, and son Ryder, 5, along with the pilot, Dennis Dutton, and his son Jack Dutton and Craig Wadsworth.

North Carolina Rep. Richard Hudson, a family friend, confirmed the news in a post on X the same day.

“I am devastated by the loss of Greg, Cristina and their children, and my heart is with all who loved them,” Hudson wrote in his post. 

“They were friends who lived their lives focused on helping others," the congressman continued. "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."

Hudson added, regarding the Biffles’ humanitarian contributions: "The last time I spoke with Cristina, just a couple of weeks ago, she reached out to ask how she could help with relief efforts in Jamaica. That’s who the Biffles were."

Biffle, nicknamed "The Biff," won multiple championships during his racing career, including in the Truck Series in 2000 and the Xfinity Series in 2002. The Vancouver, Wash., native was also named as one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023. He received the 2024 NMPA Myers Brothers Award for humanitarian aid.

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