NASCAR legend Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina Gusso, and their two children, Ryder, 5, and Emma, 14, were tragically killed on Dec. 18 when the private plane they were traveling in crashed in Statesville, North Carolina.
As investigators work to determine what caused the devastating crash, early reports point to difficult weather conditions at the time of the accident. AccuWeather Vice President of Forecasting Operations Dan DePodwin told the Observer that conditions at Statesville airport were “adverse.”
“Heavy drizzle and a cloud ceiling near 1,200 feet were reported at 10:15 a.m,” DePodwin said. “The cloud ceiling had reportedly lowered to around 400 feet, with heavy rain reducing visibility to less than 2 miles at 10:30 a.m.”
DePodwin emphasized that weather is often a critical factor examined in aviation investigations. “It may take months to a year or longer for investigators to determine if the weather conditions contributed to the crash,” he added.
Known throughout racing as “The Biff,” Greg Biffle launched his NASCAR career in 1995 in the Winter Heat Series before moving to the Truck Series in 1998 and eventually the Cup Series in the early 2000s. Over the course of his storied career, he became one of the most accomplished drivers in the sport.
Biffle was the first of only three drivers to win championships in both the Busch Series and the Craftsman Truck Series. He earned Rookie of the Year honors twice, racked up 19 Cup Series wins, and in 2023 was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers. In 2024, he was nominated for the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
But Biffle’s legacy extended far beyond the racetrack.
In September 2024, after Hurricane Helene devastated large portions of the southeastern United States, Biffle stepped in to help lead relief efforts. As a licensed helicopter pilot, he joined others in transporting emergency supplies and rescuing stranded individuals from hard-hit areas.
“I’ll tell you, the feeling you get when you win a race, you can only ask drivers, right?” Biffle once said. “Because the feeling you get when you win that race, that’s the feeling you get when you’re able to help people in need.”
His generosity did not go unnoticed. Darlington Raceway President Josh Harris praised him earlier this year, saying, “Greg is one of the fiercest drivers in NASCAR history. And, as shown by his tremendous generosity in giving back to the communities in the Carolinas last year, a winner off the track.”
According to Congressman Hudson, the Biffle family’s dedication to helping others continued right up until their deaths. In a message shared on X, he recalled speaking with Cristina just weeks earlier. “She reached out to ask how she could help with relief efforts in Jamaica,” he wrote. “That’s who the Biffles were.”