NASCAR Tributes Late Driver Greg Biffle at Daytona 500

NASCAR paid tribute to the late driver Greg Biffle during its season-opening Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 15, 2026, at Daytona International Speedway in Florida. The three-minute video tribute, aired live on FOX, featured family members and colleagues sharing memories of the 55-year-old champion, who died alongside his wife and two young children in a plane crash more than a year earlier.

Biffle, a veteran of the sport with 19 NASCAR Cup Series victories, perished on December 18, 2025, when the Cessna 550 he was aboard crashed shortly after takeoff from Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina. The aircraft carried seven people, including Biffle's wife, Cristina, their 14-year-old daughter, Emma, and 5-year-old son, Ryder. Also killed were pilot Dennis Dutton, his son and copilot Jack Dutton, and passenger Craig Wadsworth. The group was en route to Florida for a holiday visit with friends.

A preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board, released in January 2026, indicated that Dennis Dutton was at the controls during takeoff and most of the flight. He temporarily handed them to his unqualified son before regaining control for an emergency return to...