On Tuesday, October 28th, 2025, Hurricane Melissa made history by becoming the strongest hurricane ever to make direct landfall on Jamaica since modern record-keeping began. It slammed into the island as a catastrophic Category 5 storm with 185 mph sustained winds. Fueled by abnormally warm ocean waters, Melissa ripped off up to 90% of roofs in coastal towns and triggered widespread flooding and power outages across Jamaica, destroying homes and tearing down utility poles in the process.

One year after piloting through the chaos of Hurricane Helene to save stranded families in the mountains of western North Carolina, NASCAR legend Greg Biffle is once again preparing to take flight, this time, toward storm-battered Jamaica.

Greg Biffle steps up again

With Hurricane Melissa’s winds tearing through the island, Biffle has mobilized his planes, boats, and helicopters to deliver relief supplies and conduct rescue missions. Biffle wrote on X, “Tuesday Update: As Hurricane Melissa makes landfall, hoping that as many people were able to head to higher ground as possible !!”

“We are trying to coordinate and explore all opportunities via by sea and air for relief efforts as quickly as we can to the Caribbean. We have the large boat and landing craft on standby for deployment to possibly take supplies once we can get an update and monitoring the situation like everyone and praying for all who are affected. #hurricanemelissa #jamaica,” he continued. 

Since Hurricane Dorian battered the Bahamas in 2019, Melissa is now the strongest Atlantic hurricane on record. Biffle also shared how he and his close friend, YouTube sensation Garrett Mitchell (Cleetus McFarland), have already coordinated on logistics and resources. Both men made viral social media posts, rallying volunteers and donors, determined to act swiftly before bureaucratic red tape slows them down.

“The biggest problem is we don’t know the terrain, we don’t know the extent of the damage. Obviously this storm looks like it’s two to three times of the storm that hit western NC (Helene),” Biffle said. His tone carried both the calm precision of a pilot and the urgency of a man who has seen destruction firsthand. Equipped with an aircraft landing pad that can function directly from a beach and a large vessel ready to ferry supplies to cut-off areas, Biffle understood the logistical hurdles of island rescues.

And it’s not just Jamaica, but Cuba and Haiti are also among the hardest-hit areas. And as for the death toll, more than 30 deaths have been reported in Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic so far.

“That could be very valuable in this situation, depending on if they (Jamaican communities) have a marina or dock left. They might not have any way to get supplies to shore,” he added, highlighting the unique challenge of navigating a disaster zone where entire ports may have vanished overnight. This upcoming mission mirrors the one that first turned Biffle from racer to rescuer.

When Hurricane Helene struck in 2024, the aerial efforts quickly evolved from helping one stranded family in Banner Elk to coordinating an airlift campaign that spanned multiple counties. “They were out of formula, diapers, and the road was washed out. My wife came up and said, ‘Are you gonna go?’ That’s all she said. And I just felt like if I don’t go, who’s going to?” he recalled.

His initial solo flight, guided only by rough coordinates scrawled on index cards, transformed into a multi-day humanitarian operation. He had fellow pilots from Operation Airdrop who flew dozens of missions a day, often into valleys so narrow that military Black Hawks and Chinooks couldn’t safely land. For nearly two weeks, Biffle’s helicopter became a lifeline, pulling out survivors, delivering medical supplies, and even dropping Starlink satellite kits to reconnect isolated communities. He himself is a registered pilot and has led expeditions to help stranded people and deliver aid to those cut off from everyone during such calamities.

He described the devastation vividly, saying, “There’s no recollection of a road, an embankment. No ledge, no bridge, no anything for miles down these canyons, and we see people walking with backpacks trying to get help.” Those experiences redefined his sense of purpose. Once known as the methodical driver of Roush Fenway Racing’s No. 16 Ford, Biffle discovered a different kind of finish line. And these efforts of his were recognized when he received the 2024 Myers Brothers Award from the National Motorsports Press Association for the same.

Now, with Hurricane Melissa bearing down, Biffle says the lessons of Helene have guided his new response effort. “In our race car world, there’s no, ‘We’re gonna be late,’ or, ‘We’re not gonna get this done in time.’ There are no obstacles in front of us that we can’t accomplish,” he said. This same racer’s mindset has fueled his growing reputation as a pilot hero.

For Biffle, there was no checkered flag in Helene, only gratitude and renewed purpose. “It still gives me goosebumps thinking about it, what if this wouldn’t have happened, and that, and that, and that. Just how everything came together,” he reflected. As he prepares once again to lift off into chaos, Biffle proves that even after his NASCAR career, his instinct to race against time never truly switched off.

Leveraging NASCAR’s charitable networks

The NASCAR Foundation is leveraging its established networks to ensure financial contributions are efficiently directed toward Hurricane Melissa recovery. The Foundation’s primary action is to guide the NASCAR community to trusted, on-the-ground partners. Based on past and current disaster advisories, this involves directing funds to organizations with a proven international footprint, such as the American Red Cross and local United Way chapters.

Beyond direct financial donations, NASCAR’s vast network of corporate partners is mobilized through specialist relief organizations, ensuring that vital supplies reach the affected Caribbean areas. A key entity in this process is Good360, a nonprofit that specializes in product philanthropy and serves as a major partner to the NASCAR industry. In the wake of Hurricane Melissa, Good360 immediately initiated its disaster recovery network, working with its corporate donors to deploy pre-positioned supplies, generators, and essential relief items to the region.

The current coordinated effort for Hurricane Melissa is built on the strong precedent set by the NASCAR community during the previous severe weather events. For instance, in past hurricane events, teams like Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports have utilized their heavy equipment, including team helicopters and haulers, for direct delivery of supplies, while organizations like the Joey Logano Foundation have made substantial financial pledges to disaster relief funds like Convoy of Hope.