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The NASCAR world experienced two tragedies just before the turn of the calendar with the shocking deaths of Greg Biffle and Dennis Hamlin, the father of current driver Denny Hamlin.
Biffle, along with his wife and two children, was among seven people killed when his plane crashed near a North Carolina airport runway in early December. Less than two weeks later, the elder Hamlin died in a house fire in the state, which also injured Hamlin’s mother.
The Daytona 500 will take place next month to kick off the 2026 NASCAR season, but it will certainly be with a heavy heart.
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LEBANON, TENNESSEE – MAY 31: Ricky Stenhouse Jr., driver of the No. 47 NOS Energy Chevrolet, waits on the grid during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway on May 31, 2025 in Lebanon, Tennessee. (Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
“Yes, NASCAR and motorsports in general are, you could say, big, but it’s a small family,” 2023 Daytona 500 winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr. said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital. “It’s a huge footprint, but everyone is really integrated, very close, and everyone feels it, no matter what.
“You know, Greg and his family, super sad, super tragic, and then you have Denny, who, it’s very public that he was trying to win this championship for his dad, didn’t think his dad was going to make it for much longer. But who knows, maybe he won the championship this year and his dad could have made it. But the tragic fire that took his dad and put his mom in the hospital, like, man, it’s just, it was a crazy, devastating moment. offseason.
“And I think we’re all ready to get back on track, see if things will calm down a little bit. Just a tough offseason, for sure. But I think everyone has rallied around each other, rallied around those affected with the families, and we’re getting back up.”
Dennis Hamlin and Mary Lou Hamlin, 69, were found outside their two-story home near Stanley suffering from what authorities called catastrophic injuries. Dennis Hamlin later died from his injuries at a hospital, while his wife was transferred to a specialty hospital in Winston-Salem to treat her burns.
Denny Hamlin looks on before a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025, in Concord, North Carolina. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley, file)
EX-NASCAR STAR GREG BIFFLE AND FAMILY MEMBERS KILLED IN NORTH CAROLINA PLANE CRASH
Last month, Denny Hamlin opened up about his father and the financial sacrifices he made to help him realize his dream of becoming one of NASCAR’s star drivers. In an interview with the Associated Press, Hamlin revealed that his father was dying of a serious illness.
“I know for a fact that this is my last chance for my dad to see it. I don’t want him to go there and never get to see that moment,” Hamlin said of his father seeing him win a championship, a goal he later failed to achieve after the final race of that season in Arizona.
Dennis Hamlin took out multiple mortgages on his Virginia home, maxed out all his credit cards and nearly went into financial ruin to give his son a chance to become a NASCAR driver, according to the AP. His sacrifice paid off, as Hamlin built a legendary career with 60 victories, including three Daytona 500s.
Biffle has 19 NASCAR Cup Series victories, including six in 2005 when he finished second in the Cup standings. He won three consecutive Ford 400s from 2004 to 2006 at Homestead. He also had 20 victories in the Xfinity Series, winning the 2002 title, and 17 victories in the Craftsman Truck Series, where he won the championship in 2000.
Greg Biffle celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas on October 3, 2010. (Orlin Wagner, AP file/photo)
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After his racing years, Biffle used his flying skills for good. In 2024, it helped victims of Hurricane Helene by providing supplies and internet service to those in need. He even located a family stranded while flying after using a mirror against the sun.
Paulina Dedaj of Fox News and Associate Press contributed to this report.
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