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The world of NASCAR suffered two tragedies just before the schedule change 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 who died when their 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 that also left Hamlin’s mother injured.
The Daytona 500 will be held next month to kick off the 2026 NASCAR season, but it will no doubt be with a heavy heart.
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LEBANON, TENNESSEE – MAY 31: Ricky Stenhouse Jr., driver of the #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 Pak Gazette Digital. “It’s a huge footprint, but everyone is really integrated, very close, and everyone feels that, 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 that championship for his dad, didn’t think his dad was going to last much longer. But who knows, he may have won the championship this year and his dad could have done it. But the tragic fire that took his dad and has his mom in the hospital, it’s like, man, it’s just been a crazy, devastating offseason.
“And I think we’re all ready to get back to normal, to see if things calm down a little bit. It was 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 helping each other out.”
Dennis Hamlin and Mary Lou Hamlin, 69, were found outside their two-story home near Stanley suffering from what officials called catastrophic injuries. Dennis Hamlin later died from his injuries at a hospital, while his wife was taken to a specialized hospital in Winston-Salem for treatment of her burns.
Denny Hamlin watches before a NASCAR Cup Series car race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025, in Concord, North Carolina. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley, File)
FORMER NASCAR STAR GREG BIFFLE, RELATIVES KILLED IN PLANE CRASH IN NORTH CAROLINA
Last month, Denny Hamlin spoke about his father and the financial sacrifices he made to help him achieve his dream of becoming one of NASCAR’s top drivers. In an interview with The Associated Press, Hamlin revealed that his father was dying from a serious illness.
“I know for a fact that this is the last chance for my dad to see it. I don’t want him to go away and never be able to see the moment,” Hamlin said of his father watching him win a championship, a goal he then fell short of after this season’s final race in Arizona.
According to the AP, Dennis Hamlin took out multiple mortgages on his Virginia home, maxed out all his credit cards and nearly bankrupted himself financially to give his son the opportunity to become a NASCAR driver. His sacrifice paid off, as Hamlin built a legendary career that featured 60 victories, including three Daytona 500s.
Biffle had 19 NASCAR Cup Series victories, six of them in 2005, when he finished second in the Cup standings. He won three consecutive Ford 400s from 2004 to 2006 at Homestead. He also earned 20 wins in the Xfinity Series, capturing the 2002 title, and 17 wins 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, File/AP Photo)
After his racing days, Biffle put his flying skills to good use. In 2024, it helped victims of Hurricane Helene by delivering supplies and internet services to those in need. He even located a family stranded while flying after they used a mirror against the sun.
