Greg Biffle competed in NASCAR for 16 years, winning 19 races and earning $75 million in purses. He was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers of 2023 and has been in the top 10 for ten consecutive years. But his most meaningful impact occurred long after he stopped driving full-time.
Biffle, who died in a plane crash Thursday along with six others, became an unexpected savior in the aftermath of 2024’s devastating Hurricane Helene. Biff flew helicopters to and from hurricane-ravaged areas of North Carolina, delivering emergency supplies and carrying rescued survivors out of the storm zone.
advertise
He first rescued a family of tourists trapped in Banner Elk, North Carolina. As he takes to the sky—as he sees the carnage left by the hurricane—Biff suddenly discovers the calling. For nearly two weeks, he flew multiple missions a day, fueled in part by thousands of social media messages pleading for his help in locating relatives.
“We don’t remember there being roads, no levees. No ledges, no bridges, nothing for miles along these canyons, and we saw people walking with backpacks trying to find help,” Biffle later recalled.
Beef departed from the Statesville airport where his plane crashed on Thursday morning and flew dozens of rescue missions in the mountains surrounding Asheville, North Carolina, where roads have been washed out and many small towns are isolated and cut off from the outside world and can only be reached by plane. He delivered food, diapers, and Starlink satellite connections, and rescued those who needed to be evacuated.
advertise
“It feels good to be able to get supplies and things that are needed to these people who need help the most but are still isolated,” Biffle said. “The mission right now is, even though the roads are starting to open, the grocery stores are not. Some of the grocery stores are destroyed, gas stations are still out of fuel, power is not back on everywhere, so these people still need supplies and food, and they can’t just jump in their car and look for it because they’re going to eventually run out of gas somewhere and get stranded. So the mission continues.”
NASCAR is a close-knit family, mostly concentrated in North Carolina, and Biffle’s example inspired other members of the family to pursue other philanthropic endeavors. Cup champions Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski provided support, equipment and logistical assistance. Charlotte Motor Speedway organized a charity event to collect needed items.
“The hardest thing is when I get home at night and land in the dark because we can’t fly anymore and my brain can’t shut off,” Biffler. “I was sitting at the counter looking at my phone, overwhelmed, wondering what I was going to do next.”
advertise
After dozens of Helene missions, Biffle eventually transitioned to a ground support role, but occasionally returns to the mountain—for example, this spring to drop 4,000 Easter eggs.
During his racing career, Biff recorded victories at legendary NASCAR tracks such as Daytona, Pocono and Darlington. But his greatest victories came in the remote hills and narrow canyons of western North Carolina.
