NASCAR champ and Hurricane Helene hero Greg Biffle dies with his young family in NC plane crash

NASCAR announced, "The NASCAR family is devastated at the loss of Greg Biffle, who was one of our 75 greatest drivers and became known for his relentless post-career humanitarian work. We extend our deepest condolences."

Garrett Mitchell, better known by his YouTube name Cleetus McFarland, confirmed that Biffle, as well as his wife, daughter, and son had been on the plane that crashed on Thursday morning.

"Unfortunately, I can confirm Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, daughter Emma, and son Ryder were on that plane… because they were on their way to spend the afternoon with us. We are devastated. I’m so sorry to share this," wrote Mitchell on Facebook. Mitchell shared a video of him and Biffle racing side-by-sides, writing, "This will be one of my favorite videos of all time. A wheelie side by side with the Biff. This is the worst day ever."

Biffle and Mitchell had become friends in the wake of Hurricane Helene, which devastated western North Carolina. Biffle had organized flights to carry relief supplies to victims in North Carolina. He had also participated in multiple racing events put on by Mitchell.

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein wrote, "Heartbreaking news out of Statesville. Beyond his success as a NASCAR driver, Greg Biffle lived a life of courage and compassion and stepped up for western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene. My heart goes out to all those who lost a loved one in this tragic crash."

Per local news, Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell said that "several" people had died in the crash at Statesville Regional Airport, but did not confirm how many people were on the plane. The airport confirmed that an "aircraft incident" had occurred at around 10:15 am.

The Federal Aviation Administration told CNN, "A Cessna C550 crashed while landing at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina around 10:20 a.m. local time on Thursday, Dec. 18. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. The NTSB will lead the investigation and provide any updates." A federal source with knowledge of the crash told CNN that a person associated with NASCAR had been on board. The plane’s tail number, N257BW, is owned by Biffle’s company GB Aviation Leasing. The plane had been en route to the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport.