The dramatic life of Greg Biffle: From a messy divorce with hidden cameras and affairs to a happy family torn apart by tragedy
NASCAR legend Greg Biffle’s tumultuous relationship with his former wife has resurfaced in the wake of his tragic death.
Biffle was among the seven people who were killed on Thursday after a Cessna C550 private jet, owned by the 55-year-old semi-retired racecar driver, crashed on the runway at Statesville Regional Airport.
The NASCAR driver’s second wife Cristina, daughter Emma, and son Ryder were also onboard when the aircraft horrifically went up in flames.
Biffle shared his 14-year-old daughter Emma with ex-wife Nicole Lunders, whom he separated from almost a decade ago.
While it is unclear what the state of their relationship was during Biffle’s final days, their marriage came to a contemptuous end in 2016, which was laid bare by a bitter legal battle.
The couple tied the knot in October 2007, but separated in March 2015 with their divorce filed and finalized a year later.
NASCAR driver Greg Biffle was sued by his ex-wife Nicole Lunders (right) in 2017
Biffle is seen in happier times with his second wife, Cristina, their five-year-old son, Ryder and Biffle’s daughter, Emma, whom he shared with Lunders
Lunders and her mother Sara Lunders (pictured) accused the driver of secretly recording them
Biffle went on to find love again with his second wife Cristina Grossu with the couple marrying in 2023, eight years on from his split from Lunders.
The loved-up pair shared a blended family, welcoming son Ryder in 2020 with Cristina frequently posting photos of the trio alongside Emma in happier times to social media.
However, it wasn’t always happy families for Biffle. What followed his messy divorce from Lunders was a string of shocking allegations involving hidden cameras, nude images and affairs.
Lunders sued Biffle in 2017 when she accused him of installing hidden cameras throughout their North Carolina home and secretly recording her and her mother, Sara Lunders.
She claimed that the legendary driver fitted the cameras in their bedroom and bathroom areas without informing her, violating the privacy of both her and her mother, who moved into the family home following the birth of their daughter in 2011.
Lunders’ attorney, Amy Simpson, reportedly claimed at the time that the concealed cameras caught footage of her client in the nude in her vanity, the side of the tub and areas where she would come out of the shower. She also alleged that Sara Lunders was filmed on these hidden cameras.
What’s more, Lunders claimed that not only did Biffle capture nude images of her without her knowledge but that he also shared the footage.
Lunders alleged that Biffle shared the images with third parties, uploading some of them to an internal server at his workplace. Biffle denied the allegation.
Biffle and six others, including his second wife Cristina, his daughter Emma and son Ryder, died after the private plane they were on crashed at the Statesville Regional Airport
Biffle allegedly installed hidden cameras in their home without Lunders’ knowledge
The racing champion fought back against the claims, arguing that his former wife knew about the installed cameras.
He stated that he believed his maids were stealing from him and thought he might catch them in the act with the cameras, which he could access anywhere and at any time on his cell phone.
Lunders said that she knew about other cameras on the property, but not the ones in the master bedroom, master bathroom and guest bedroom that were hidden out of sight.
She believed that he installed the concealed cameras to catch her having an alleged affair with her tennis instructor, whom Biffle also sued, claiming ‘alienation of affection,’ in a separate lawsuit.
The bombshell trial included allegations of infidelity on both sides. Lunders claimed that both she and her husband had extramarital relationships over the course of their marriage, which is part of the reason that the two legally separated in 2015 after eight years.
It was a year after they walked down the aisle that they began work on the home they would live in for the remainder of their marriage, and where Biffle would install the hidden cameras.
Those cameras were installed in 2013, meaning that Lunders and her mother were captured on video for three years.
The saga all began when the women discovered the cameras in 2015, just before Lunders and Biffle’s legal separation, sparking them to sue the NASCAR driver for an invasion of privacy.
Biffle and Lunders are pictured with their daughter, now 14, back in 2013
Biffle was sued for no less than $100,000 by his then-estranged wife Nicole
Lunders and her mother both argued that they had a reasonable expectation of privacy in their bedrooms and bathroom.
They demanded at least $100,000, with both mother ad daughter stating that they have ‘suffered loss of appetite, loss of sleep, pain in [their] abdomen[s], emotional distress, worry, humiliation, fear, loss of trust and sleep, concern and other anxiety related conditions as a result of [their] discovery of Defendant’s surreptitious and unlawful actions.’
In August 2018, a North Carolina jury determined that Biffle had violated his estranged wife’s privacy but did not find that he had invaded her mother’s, despite her spending time in areas where the hidden cameras were allegedly installed. Biffle was ordered to pay Lunders $250,001.
Just last year, the pair found themselves embroiled in yet another legal battle when Lunders accused Biffle of failing to comply with their custody agreement.
Following their split, the former couple agreed on custody of Emma in 2018, which required Biffle to continue to provide medical and vision insurance coverage for their daughter.
Lunders accused her ex-husband of allowing Emma’s insurance to lapse in November 2023, resulting in her allegedly having to pay higher uninsured health expenses for their daughter, according to court documents obtained by The Daily Mail.
According to court documents, one day before the case was due to be heard in January 2025, Biffle obtained and provided proof of insurance for Emma and Lunders dismissed her case against him.
Biffle and Lunders first met in 1998 during his first full season in NASCAR but kept their relationship out of the spotlight.
Biffle and Lunders, who tied the knot in 2007, are pictured at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Awards in 2013
However, Lunders did manage to make headlines in 2006 when she was reprimanded by NASCAR over a pit-road confrontation with another driver Kurt Busch’s fiancee.
Busch hit the back of Biffle’s car early in the race which saw the latter’s day come to an abrupt end.
Following the crash, Lunders was captured on TV cameras marching down the pit road and climbing halfway up Busch’s box, where she launched into heated exchange with Eva Bryan.
Lunders and Biffle dated for eight years before the driver finally popped the question on Christmas Eve in 2006.
They exchanged their vows the following October before welcoming Emma in 2011.
Emma and Biffle were among the seven people to tragically lose their lives after the racer’s private jet slammed into the runway at Statesville Regional Airport around 10.15am on Thursday morning.
The plane, which was on its way to Sarasota, Florida, was seen engulfed in flames as emergency crews rushed to the scene, about 45 minutes from Charlotte.
Biffle’s second wife, Cristina Grossu, whom he married in in January 2023 after getting engaged in 2021, and their five-year-old son Ryder were also onboard.
Biffle is seen with his wife, Cristina and their five-year-old son, Ryder
Craig Wadsworth, another NASCAR star, Dennis Dutton and his son Jack were also killed, according to a statement from the families.
The plane initially took off from the airport then circled back before the deadly landing, meaning there might have been a mechanical issue, WCNC’s chief meteorologist Brad Panovich, said after looking at public flight data.
Lunders was among the families, including the Biffle, Grossu, and Dutton families, who shared a joint heartbreaking statement in the wake of losing their loved ones.
‘We are devastated by the loss of our loved ones. This tragedy has left all of our families heartbroken beyond words,’ it read.
‘Greg and Christina were devoted parents and active philanthropists whose lives were centered around their young son Ryder and Greg’s daughter Emma (mother — Nicole Lunders).
‘Emma was a wonderful human being with a kind soul who was loved by many people. Ryder was an active, curious and infinitely joyful child.
‘Dennis Dutton and his son Jack were deeply loved as well, and their loss is felt by all who knew them.
‘Craig Wadsworth was beloved by many in the NASCAR community and will be missed by those who knew him.
The racing champion is pictured with his second wife, Cristina
‘Each of them meant everything to us, and their absence leaves an immeasurable void in our lives.
‘We ask for privacy, compassion and understanding as we grieve and begin to process this unimaginable loss. We are grateful for the kindness and support that has been extended to our families during this incredibly difficult time.
‘At this moment, our focus is on honoring their lives and supporting one another.’
