OFFICIAL REPORT: NASCAR CHAMPION GREG BIFFLE IDENTIFIED IN FATAL THURSDAY MORNING PLANE ACCIDENT
NASCAR champion Greg Biffle and his family tragically passed away in a North Carolina plane crash. Read about his incredible legacy.
Before Greg Biffle became famous in NASCAR, he was making a name for himself at Tri-City Raceway.
Biffle had come back to the track to race in the ARCA Menards Series West event over the last several years.
Biffle, 55, passed away Thursday when his plane crashed at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina, which is about 45 minutes from Charlotte. He, his wife, and their two kids were among the seven who died.
His last race in the Tri-Cities was in August. He got third place for the Sigma Performance Services Chevrolet team. He said he liked the West Richland track so much that he thought about buying it once.
Tri-City Raceway posted something on social media Thursday to honor Biffle’s family.
“Legacy isn’t about wins or championships,” the post said. “It’s about love, changing lives, and how someone treats other people. That’s how Greg—and his family—will always be remembered.”
Tri-Cities ties
Tri-City Raceway Project Manager Laci Tolar said her family is shocked. Tolar is Wayne Walden’s granddaughter. Wayne ran the track in the 90s.
Back then, Tri-City Raceway was like a second home to Biffle. He would come from Vancouver to race.
Tolar’s father, Greg, also raced with Biffle in the 90s.
In 1995, Biffle was praised by Jeff Morrow.
Morrow wrote, “Greg Biffle is getting better than the United States Postal Service.”
“It doesn’t matter what the weather is like. The Vancouver, Wash., driver seems to win every time,” the story said about Biffle’s eighth straight NASCAR Late Model main event victory in the Tri-Cities.
Morrow said that Biffle worked hard back then.
“He would race at Portland Speedway on Friday nights. He was really good there,” he said. “Then he’d pack up everything and go to TC Raceway and be awesome there on Saturday nights.”
After being the best in the Pacific Northwest in the mid-90s, Biffle raced in his first Winston West Series in 1996 and NASCAR Northwest Series in 1997. People voted him “Most Popular Driver” that year.
Moving to the Craftsman Truck Series helped Biffle get to the big time. He won the NASCAR Busch Series Rookie of the Year Award in 2001.
Biffle, who fans called “The Biff,” was also up for the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
After being in the sport’s top division for almost 20 years, he went back to truck racing and NASCAR’s Northwest circuit.
Tolar said her family became close with Biffle’s family. Their children played while he was racing this year.
“He was a humble, amazing person,” Tolar said. “He was just like everyone else, but he really cared about racing, and it was part of who he was.”
Tolar said that Biffle didn’t let fame change him. He helped people, like the time he used his helicopter to get resources and supplies to families after Hurricane Helene.
“It’s a big loss for the Tri-Cities and the nation. He loved motorsports,” she said. “It’s everyone’s loss. It’s hard to even say how much this hurts.”
She said that Biffle was a nice man who really cared about racing.
“He never let fame change him. He was down to earth and always wanted to help racing grow,” she said. ”We’re lucky to have known him.”
Tri-Cities Raceway facilities director Jesse Brown said he raced with Biffle.
“He was so good,” Brown said. “He made everyone else better in the Northwest. He was ahead of everyone else back then.”
Brown said Biffle was a good guy, but when he came back to the track, he was a family man who cared about the community and loved racing.
Brown said he saw a side of Biffle that many people didn’t. When he wasn’t racing, Biffle was funny and loved to make people laugh.
He said that Greg Biffle was important to the whole racing community in the area.
“If you look at racing in the Northwest today, Greg started it all,” he said. “You don’t win a bunch of races if you’re not good. He made people better, and they remember that.”
He remembers Biffle’s first time back at the track in years. There were tons of fans who wanted to see the local hero.
“The racetrack will miss Greg and his family,” Brown said. “He was a great family man. He was a great dad and husband.”
DODGERS STAND FIRM ON ROKI SASAKI STARTING ROLE DESPITE BRUTAL SPRING TRAINING
Roki Sasaki faces a 2.70 WHIP crisis, but the Dodgers believe his velocity and new cutter will secure his rotation spot.
Roki Sasaki hasn’t had the smoothest spring training for the Dodgers. He’s started three games, and his stats look rough: a 13.50 ERA, a 2.70 WHIP, and just 10 strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings. Yeah, that’s not what you want to see heading toward Opening Day.
Last year, Sasaki struggled as a starter until an injury sidelined him. The Dodgers shifted him to the bullpen, and he actually turned things around. He played a huge part in their 2025 World Series run, so you know the talent’s there.
Even with the shaky preseason, the Dodgers and Sasaki both still see him as a starter. It’s been bumpier than anyone hoped, but it’s only spring training, so there’s time for him to settle in once the real games begin.
Fabian Ardaya from The Athletic didn’t sugarcoat the situation when he weighed in. He pointed out that the Dodgers have to think about what would happen if Sasaki melts down in a regular-season game, especially early on. That kind of disaster inning could put the bullpen in a tough spot for days. But Ardaya also reminded everyone that the Dodgers can handle some struggles, especially during April and May. They survived a similar situation last year, and they still believe that Sasaki will develop best by pitching in big league games, even if it means taking a few lumps.
It’s a luxury for the Dodgers, but Ardaya said the team needs to keep an eye on not just Sasaki’s performance but also how much patience they have for him if he keeps faltering.
So, what about moving Sasaki back to the bullpen? Ardaya addressed that too. He said the Dodgers wouldn’t make that switch right away, not unless things really go off the rails as a starter or some other circumstances force their hand later in the season. But even as a reliever, Sasaki needs to get his fastball command under control. Without that, he’s just not going to be effective, whether he’s pitching one inning or six.
The bottom line: The Dodgers are sticking with Sasaki as a starter. GM Brandon Gomes made that clear back in January. He said Sasaki looks strong, his velocity is solid, and he’s getting better with his cutter and two-seam. Gomes believes that once Sasaki fully develops his arsenal, he’ll be tough for hitters, especially as he works through the lineup a third time.
So despite the rocky start and doubts, the Dodgers want Sasaki to be a starting pitcher. Now it’s up to him to prove he can handle it.
LUKA DONčIć FILES TO DISMISS CALIFORNIA CHILD SUPPORT REQUEST FROM ANAMARIA GOLTES
Luka Dončić asks a California court to dismiss Anamaria Goltes’ request for child support, citing Slovenia jurisdiction.
Luka Dončić, the Los Angeles Lakers star, isn’t letting a custody dispute with his ex-fiancée, Anamaria Goltes, go unchecked. He just asked a California court to toss out her request for child support and attorney’s fees. Here’s his argument: neither he nor his kids live in California, so the case doesn’t belong there.
TMZ Sports reported that Dončić filed documents Friday in Los Angeles County. His legal team, led by Laura Wasser, pointed out that Gabriela, age two, and Olivia, just four months old, live with Goltes in Slovenia. Dončić says he doesn’t live in California either, and he already started legal proceedings for custody and child support back in Slovenia earlier this year.
Dončić is calling Goltes’ move a classic case of “forum shopping” basically, picking California because its child support laws might be more generous. He claims she’s only after a bigger payout and says her filing is “procedurally defective and legally improper".
Dončić also insists he’s been doing his part as a dad, covering all expenses for his daughters, according to both ESPN and his own court filings. He’s not exactly strapped for cash either; he’s in the middle of a three-year, $165 million contract. And he’s made it clear, “Everything I do is for my daughters’ happiness. I will always fight to be with them and give them the best life I can.”
Behind the scenes, things have been messy. He wanted Goltes and the girls to move to the U.S. for the NBA season, but she said no and went back to Slovenia in May. That distance, he admitted, helped bring their engagement to an end.
Still, Dončić’s volley of personal turmoil hasn’t slowed him on the basketball court. He’s been delivering MVP-level performances for the Lakers, finding peace in basketball during a rough time. “That’s life; I don’t know what to say,” he said last week. “Basketball is giving me some kind of peace when I play a game.”
His stats are as dominant as ever: over his last five games, he’s averaged 43.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 7.8 assists, including a jaw-dropping 60-point game against the Miami Heat. He finished that game shooting 18 for 30, knocking down nine threes, and snagging five steals – a stat line almost unheard of in the NBA.
Dončić and Goltes go way back. They’ve been together since 2016, growing up together in Slovenia. He proposed in 2023, just before Gabriela arrived, and Olivia was born in December 2025, both in Slovenia. Their relationship hit a bump this season when Dončić travelled overseas for Olivia’s birth, missing games against the Raptors and Celtics. ESPN says there was some disagreement over travel plans for their older daughter, but authorities cleared things, and Dončić left without incident.
Goltes’ petition in California made the dispute public this month, and Dončić responded with his own legal action. He reportedly learned about her filing through media reports, adding another bit of drama. Even with all these challenges, Dončić has kept his focus on basketball, leading the Lakers as they climb the Western Conference standings.
Navigating a tough chapter as a father while dominating professionally, Dončić is managing both worlds at once: the legal fight off the court and his relentless drive on it.
