Former NASCAR star Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, and their two young kids were among seven people killed Thursday when their private jet crashed in a fireball at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina.
It’s just awful. Absolutely devastating. No words can capture how the entire world is feeling right now.
And now, the heartbreaking details are emerging — including a bone-chilling three-word text Cristina sent to her mom minutes before the tragedy. Can you even imagine being a mother and receiving the following message?
“We’re in trouble,” she wrote her Mom.
“She texted me from the plane, and she said, ‘We’re in trouble.’ And that was it,” Cathy Grossu told People Magazine through tears. “So we’re devastated. We’re brokenhearted.”
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.
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) December 18, 2025
We extend our deepest condolences. pic.twitter.com/Q7nh6ug1iW
Tributes to Greg Biffle and his family pour in
The Biffle family — Greg, 55, Cristina, their 5-year-old son Ryder, and Greg’s 14-year-old daughter Emma from a previous marriage — were headed out on what was supposed to be a fun birthday trip to Florida. Instead, it ended in unspeakable horror.
Also killed in the crash were Dennis Dutton and his son, Jack, along with Craig Wadsworth.
All seven on board the Cessna C550 perished when the plane took off around 10:06 a.m., flew just 29 miles, then turned back and slammed into the ground while attempting to land back at Statesville around 10:32 a.m. Witnesses said the jet was flying “way too low” before a massive explosion and fire engulfed the wreckage.
It’s literally the stuff of nightmares. And not a deserving end for anyone involved.
Touching tributes have come pouring in from the NASCAR and sporting world. NASCAR released a statement saying they’re “devastated” by the loss, and the joint family statement called it a tragedy that left everyone “heartbroken beyond words.”
NASCAR legends also expressed their thoughts as best they could.
“I had such tremendous respect for Greg as a driver, and we shared countless tough battles on the track,” Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon wrote on X.
Richard Petty, a NASCAR legend known as “The King,” offered condolences.
“Richard Petty and the Petty Family are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Greg Biffle and his family,” a statement on X reads. “Greg was not only a fearless competitor, but someone who showed that same fearlessness in his generosity to others. Our deepest condolences to their loved ones.”
Richard Petty and the Petty Family are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Greg Biffle and his family. Greg was not only a fearless competitor, but someone who showed that same fearlessness in his generosity to others.
— Richard Petty (@therichardpetty) December 18, 2025
Our deepest condolences to their loved ones. pic.twitter.com/DMzK7jJfAp
READ MORE: Multiple Fatalities in Plane Crash Tied to Retired NASCAR’s Greg Biffle
The man had a massive heart
Greg Biffle was a legit NASCAR great: 19 Cup Series wins, championships in Trucks and Xfinity, and named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers.
But in recent years, he and Cristina became known for something even bigger — their massive hearts. After Hurricane Helene hammered western North Carolina, the Biffles flew hundreds of relief missions, delivering supplies to hard-hit areas.
The hurricane’s aftermath created flooded streets, destroyed homes and whole towns, and left entire communities cut off from essential services. Biffle, at the time, shared a wild video of a stranded man signaling his chopper with a mirror.
“The mirror that caught our attention well over a mile away,” Biffle wrote on X. “Only way we … were able to find someone stranded in the mountains at (the) bottom of (a) steep canyon.”
Biffle’s efforts prompted ESPN analyst Marty Smith to demand that he be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. President Trump should undoubtedly consider making such a move.