The NASCAR world was dealt a tough hand this past December as two drivers were killed, and most recently, the father of another NASCAR driver was killed in a house fire.
It was a tragic December for NASCAR fans around the world as two drivers died this month and the father of another NASCAR driver was also killed.
On Dec. 18, retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his immediate family were killed in a plane crash in Statesville, along with three others.
Former NASCAR driver Michal Annett was killed near the beginning of the month. At the time of this writing, it was unclear how Annett died.
Most recently, on Dec. 28, the father of Denny Hamlin had died in a house fire while his mom suffered significant injuries.
Hamlin’s father killed, mother injured
The father of NASCAR star driver Denny Hamlin died in a house fire on Sunday, Dec. 28 in Gaston County.
Dennis Hamlin, 75, was killed after suffering catastrophic injuries in a two-story house fire on Sunday night. Mary Lou Hamlin, Dennis Hamlin’s wife, also suffered significant injuries and is being treated at a burn center in Winston-Salem.
At the time of this writing it was unclear how the fire may have started.
Biffle, family killed in plane crash
Biffle, his wife, two children, and three other people were killed in a plane crash in Statesville on Thursday, Dec. 18.
Federal officials said the plane that Biffle was on attempted to land on the runway but was unsuccessful.
Officials said that there were five passengers and two crew members at the time of the plane crash. It was not immediately clear who was flying the plane at the time of the crash.
Three of the people on board the plane, including Biffle, had their pilot license — but investigators weren’t sure yet who was actually piloting the aircraft. Officials did say the plane belonged to Biffle.
Read more –> Greg Biffle plane crash: Federal investigators share new details about crash, wreckage, investigation
Annett was 39 when he died
Annett was killed on Friday, Dec. 5, officials at the time of this writing did not say how he had died.
He drove for JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series for five seasons from 2017 to 2021.
According to NASCAR, Annett earned his career-best achievement in 2019, winning the series’ season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway in the No. 1 JRM Chevrolet.
Annett made his debut in the Xfinity Series in 2008 and spent three years at the sport’s top level in the NASCAR Cup Series with Turner Scott Motorsports from 2014 through 2016.
He finished his career with JRM in 2021 after a stress fracture in his leg sidelined him for parts of the season.
