Greg Biffle and his family’s death in a plane crash earlier this month has left the NASCAR community mourning. The 55-year-old former driver’s plane had taken off from the Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina, and for reasons not yet revealed, it was making a return to the airport when it crashed.
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What’s ominous is that it’s not the first aviation-related demise in the NASCAR World. Former driver Mark Martin couldn’t help but point this out in a heartfelt post on X.
“I can’t help feeling angry. Aviation is a very safe way to travel, BUT has been savage to our racing community and families throughout history,” wrote Martin.
Airplane and helicopter crashes have taken the lives of many notable NASCAR drivers throughout history. The tragic list is long:
I can’t help feeling angry.
Aviation is a very safe way to travel, BUT has been savage to our racing community and families throughout history.
— Mark Martin (@markmartin) December 19, 2025
- Hendrick Motorsports (2004): On October 24, 2004, a plane carrying some notable figures from the Hendrick Motorsports fraternity was en route to the Martinsville Speedway. Due to foggy conditions, the plane crashed into a mountain in the Virginia region and killed all 10 people aboard. Among them were four members of the Hendrick family.
- Alan Kulwicki (1993) – The 1992 Cup Series champion and racing legend died when his plane lost power over Tennessee while it was heading for the Bristol Motor Speedway. Kulwicki was on the plane along with a couple of Hooters executives and his pilot.
- Davey Allison (1993) – Just a few months after Kulwicki’s death shocked the racing world, another disaster hit. Davey Allison died in a helicopter crash near the Talladega Superspeedway on July 12. Allison had been attempting to land the craft when it went out of control and crashed. He was one of the most promising youngsters at the time.
- Curtis Turner (1970) – Turner was one of NASCAR’s foundational stars. He was killed in a crash that went down in Pennsylvania. He was commanding a small plane that failed shortly after taking off. Golfer Clarence King was also aboard the plane and was killed as well. Turner had taken part in the first NASCAR Cup Series race in 1949.
Several other drivers, including Cliff Allison (Davey’s father), Carlos Pardo, and John Nemechek Sr., have also lost their lives in aviation crashes. So we can understand the anger Martin is feeling, and millions of fans feel the same way, too.
