Daytona 500 winner reflects on NASCAR’s tight-knit family amid recent tragedies in sport

The NASCAR world suffered 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 that also left Hamlin’s mother injured.

The Daytona 500 will be run next month to kick off the 2026 NASCAR season, but it will certainly be with heavy hearts.

“Yeah, NASCAR and motorsports in general is, 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 massive footprint, but everybody’s really integrated, really close, and everybody feels that no matter what happens.

“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 make it that much longer. But who knows, he may have won the championship this year and his dad could have made it. But the tragic fire that took his dad and has his mom in the hospital, like, man, it’s just, it’s been a crazy, devastating offseason. 

“And I think we’re all just ready to get back on track, to get things that kind of let’s see if it’ll calm down a little bit. Just a tough offseason, for sure. But I think everybody has rallied around each other, rallied around those affected with the families, and we pick each other up.”

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 transferred to a specialty hospital in Winston-Salem for treatment of her burns.

EX-NASCAR STAR GREG BIFFLE, FAMILY MEMBERS KILLED IN NORTH CAROLINA PLANE CRASH

Just last month, Denny Hamlin spoke of his father and the financial sacrifices he made to help him reach his dream of becoming one of NASCAR’s marquee drivers. In an interview with The Associated Press, Hamlin revealed that his father was dying from a serious illness.

“I know for a fact this is my last chance for my dad to see it. I don’t want him going and never getting to see the moment,” Hamlin said of his father seeing him win a championship, a goal he later 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 every credit card, and nearly left himself in financial ruin to give his son a chance at becoming a NASCAR driver. His sacrifice paid off, as Hamlin built a legendary career that featured 60 wins, including three Daytona 500s.

Biffle had 19 victories in the NASCAR Cup Series, six of them coming 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 victories in the Craftsman Truck Series, where he won the championship in 2000.

After his racing days, Biffle used his flying skills for good. In 2024, he helped victims of Hurricane Helene by delivering supplies and internet service to those in need. He even located a stranded family while flying after they used a mirror against the sun.

Fox News’ Paulina Dedaj and the Associatd Press contributed to this report.

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