CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Hundreds of people from the NASCAR community gathered at Bojangles Stadium in Charlotte on Friday for a memorial service for former driver Greg Biffle, his family and others killed in a plane crash last month.
Biffle, his wife, Christina, and children Ryder, 5, and Emma, 14, were among seven people killed when the plane crashed while returning to Statesville, North Carolina, airport, according to authorities. Others on the plane were identified as Dennis Dutton, his son Jack and Craig Wadsworth.
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Driver/influencer Garrett Mitchell, known as “Cleetus McFarland” in his YouTube videos and a close friend of Biffler, was among those who spoke at the funeral.
“Ever since we lost our hero, we’ve been saying, ‘Be like Biff,'” said Mitchell, who later became friends with Biff. “What does that mean? It means taking the opportunity when you see it. Whether you take a chance to pass someone on the track or get off the couch and chase that dream you’ve only been talking about for the past five years.
“It means standing up for your friends and family. It means using your heart to make the world a better place. It means giving generously whenever you can and helping others when they’re down. That’s what it means to be like Biff,” Mitchell added.
Biff, 55, was selected as one of NASCAR’s 75 best drivers in history, was nominated for the series’ Hall of Fame and spent 18 years at the top of the sport.
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Last year, as a helicopter pilot, he made headlines for his tireless humanitarian efforts to provide aid during the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene.
Biffle’s niece Jordyn Biffle tells the story of Ryder’s heroes – his father, Emma’s laughter and Christina’s loving nature.
She said the Biffles “lived life to the fullest, loved deeply and gave generously.”
“Their lives remind us that it’s not how long we’re here that matters, but what we do with the time we have and how fiercely we love while we’re here,” Biffle added. “While this loss is unspeakably devastating, their impact remains etched on all of us who were privileged to know them, love them, and be changed by them.”
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In the parking lot outside the stadium, fans stopped to watch the three cars Biffle drove during his career.
Inside, photos of the seven victims were displayed on a video board above a makeshift platform in the center of the covered hockey rink. There were seven wreaths on the stage and Mitchell, Biffle and former drivers Jeff Burton and Phil Parsons addressed the crowd.
Dylan Zirkle, 28, of Archdale, N.C., spent one year working for Biffle at Roush Racing as a pit support crew while in high school.
He said Biffle had a lasting impact on him and felt he needed to attend.
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“Greg has always been a really nice guy and I enjoy being around him,” Zickel said. “You could talk to him anytime, he was just a real person. You could talk to him about anything.”
Back home, Zirkle still has his cherished racing model autographed by Biffle in his playroom.
Zickel said he didn’t believe it when he heard about the crash.
“It still doesn’t feel real,” Zekel said. “I watched some of his YouTube videos the other night and it didn’t feel real at all.”
After Tanner Roberts and Jassamin Green heard about the commemoration, they took their 7-year-old son, Bentley, on a four-hour hike from Wilmington, North Carolina.
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“He’s a good racer and I like him a lot,” Roberts said. “He’s a good guy. I grew up watching him and Dale Earnhardt. Those two are my favorites. They’re good guys and love to compete.”
The Cessna C550 plane carrying the Biffle family and others crashed and burst into flames shortly after leaving Statesville Regional Airport, about an hour’s drive north of Charlotte.
Authorities said the plane crashed while trying to return and land.
The crash a week before Christmas rocked the NASCAR community and was another blow in a long offseason. Ten days later, on the 52nd wedding anniversary of Denny Hamlin’s parents, the house the future Hall of Famer built to honor their years of sacrifice burned to the ground. His father, Dennis, was killed and Mary Lou Hamlin was taken to the hospital’s burn unit.
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Sheriff’s deputies are also investigating a burglary at Biffler’s Mooresville home last week that included $30,000 in cash, several firearms and memorabilia.
As part of a public tribute, Mitchell plans to perform a burnout later Friday near Biffle’s marker on the N.C. Racing Walk of Fame in Mooresville.
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AP Racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing