Former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and six others died in a plane crash around 10:15 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 18, at Statesville Regional Airport, the families confirmed in a joint statement.

A former Nascar driver and his family were among the seven people killed in a plane crash at a regional airport in North Carolina, the car-racing organisation has said.

Biffle, who is considered one of NASCAR’s 75 greatest drivers with 19 wins, was thought to be taking his family to visit creator and motorsports streamer Garrett Mitchell.