ESPN’s Marty Smith took to social media to nominate NASCAR driver Greg Biffle for the Presidential Medal of Freedom after his heroic actions during Hurricane Helen, using his private helicopter to deliver supplies and internet to disaster victims. Hurricane Helen made landfall on the south coast of the United States last weekend, making landfall in Florida as a powerful Category 4 hurricane. The storm left a trail of destruction, displacing thousands and killing more than 100 people, many of whom are still missing. The storm caused unprecedented flooding, particularly in the mountainous areas of western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, completely destroying entire communities.
The NASCAR community contributed to the rescue effort. From the drivers to the teams and even the racetracks, they went out of their way to provide support. Most notable was Biffle’s contribution. The 54-year-old driver received 500 Starlink kits and several generators from Polaris to distribute to areas without cell phone or internet access. Here’s a video from Biffle on X expressing appreciation for the difference Polaris and SpaceX have made.One particular post said that Biffle tried to land six times before succeeding, taking into account the undulations of the terrain. He wrote:
“The mirror that caught our attention more than a mile away was the only way to find the man stuck on the mountain at the bottom of a steep canyon at GW after six failed attempts to land due to difficulties #hurricanehelene Before leaving , stock up on EpiPens, insulin, chick food, formula, gas, 2-bit oil, and a ready-to-eat sandwich from Harris Teeter.”The semi-retired NASCAR driver was praised for his contributions to X, including Smith, who encouraged Biffle to win the highest honor for an American citizen. Said:”All Bashar’s drivers must take Greg Biffel’s presidential medals, use helicopters to use helicopters and use helicopters to make stable and stable West Anoid-Carolina effort. “Thanks Greg.”
Another post from Biffle about X being damaged in a storm and flying to Asheville to deliver supplies. The NASCAR hero spoke of an unconfirmed “propane or fuel leak” in the area and urged people there to be safe.
