Hurricane Helene blew through North Carolina three days ago, and yet the effects of the storm are still being discovered across Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee, as well as South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. The mountain towns and cities along the North Carolina and Tennessee border have been especially hit hard by catastrophic flooding and landslides.

In the days since the storm, the racing community has stepped up to help those who have been stranded by the storm. 

Leading those efforts has been former NASCAR Cup Series driver, Greg Biffle and well-known YouTube personality, Cleetus McFarland. The pair have been flying helicopter missions from Biffle’s property to Western North Carolina since the images of the devastation to the region started to surface on Saturday morning

Related: NASCAR Modified Tour Race At North Wilkesboro Speedway Postponed Following Hurricane Helene

Biffle said he got started on Saturday morning when a friend sent him a Facebook post about a family asking for aid in Banner Elk, a mountain town in North Carolina.

“They were renting an Airbnb, so obviously they only had a couple days of food,” Biffle explained to FloRacing. “It’s not like they lived there where most households would have extra supplies. They were with two young kids. They were out of food. They were out of formula. They were out of water. And there’s no power, and they’d been there for a couple of days and really needed to get out. So that’s really how this whole thing started.”

Biffle said his wife, Cristina, posted on social media about his efforts to try to get this family out of their rental home, which they were unable to do at the time because of the continued bad weather from the storm. He said after the post that they received hundreds of similar comments asking for aid from family members of people stranded in the mountain regions.

“My messages went absolutely crazy,” he said. “All of the sudden it went from one post to… there’s hundreds of thousands of people stranded. Western North Carolina, Tennessee, all the way up to Virginia.”

The devastation seen today was unreal in Western North Carolina Thanks to @Starlink for providing these Black Mountain residents with the first contact they’ve had with their families in days thanks @elonmusk for a great thing pic.twitter.com/07EujpjpGZ

— Greg Biffle (@gbiffle) September 30, 2024

The devastation is widespread. The Mountain Island Lake area, which is just 30 minutes northwest from the heart of Uptown Charlotte, has been flooded since early Friday. The quaint town of Chimney Rock was leveled due to flooding from the Broad River. Asheville, Boone, Banner Elk, and so many more Western North Carolina towns have all experienced devastation not seen in the region in more than 100 years dating back to the flood of 1916.

More than 800,000 customers are still without power across the Carolinas according to Duke Energy, the main energy utility in North and South Carolina. Duke Energy estimates that 28 counties should get their power back online by the end of the day on Friday, October 4, a week after Helene cleared out of the area. But, the hardest hit counties of Buncombe, McDowell, Madison, Yancey, Mitchell, Avery, Watauga, Rutherford, and McDowell are not on that list, meaning those residents will have to wait even longer. 

“What they’re saying now is that they need gas,” said Biffle. “A lot of them have generators, but they’ve been there for three days and they’re out of gas. Well, the town doesn’t have gas because they can’t get fueld up there. And there’s no power. Power probably won’t be restored for months. It’s not going to be weeks. It’s going to be months. It might be months before the roads are accessible.”

Roads and highways have washed away, including parts of I-40 and I-26. Since Saturday, North Carolina officials have closed every road that leads to Western North Carolina. I-40 is closed all the way to the interchange at I-77 in Statesville about 100 miles east of Asheville and nearly 150 miles east of the North Carolina and Tennessee border. 

“The thing is, it’s not one road. It’s not two roads. It’s not 10 roads. It’s a thousand roads that have to be cleared and then have to be rebuilt so you can drive a line truck down it. Then they’ve got to put new poles up and wires. It’s like starting over. Building it from the beginning.”

The former NASCAR Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series champion said that from what he’s seen, it’s worse than anyone can imagine.

“It’s unfathomable how devastating this is. We see Florida. We saw Hurricane Katrina. We saw the devastation,” Biffle said. “The thing about this is it’s just hard to see because it’s all up in the mountains. It’s mind-blowing. And from what I’ve seen while flying these mountains and rivers, it’s just not good.

“I’m just going to say it. It’s bad. Reports are that there’s bodies along the sides of the rivers and creek banks and washed up all over the place. That’s just what it is.”

This is really bad wait until end #westernnorthcarolina #hurricanehelene pic.twitter.com/PlvTHfKWc9

— Greg Biffle (@gbiffle) September 30, 2024

Biffle said he has flown a total of 12 hours of flight-time between Saturday and Sunday. He said he flew for four hours on Saturday, and eight hours on Sunday.

“I was out for 16 hours (on Sunday), but I flew eight,” Biffle explained. “We left at six in the morning, and I got in at 9 p.m. last night. My hand hurt so bad on the way home with the sun going down that I just couldn’t fly another hour.

“And the other thing is you’re death-gripped because you’re (flying) up in the mountains. I landed in some spots that it’s sketchy situations. I’m on the side of a hill with power lines in front of me, trees on both sides. I’ve got to hover out backwards. I’m trying to haul supplies in and take folks out. We took some elderly folks out and brought them down to Hickory airport.”

The 19-time NASCAR Cup Series race winner said he’s been asked frequently over the last couple of days about how people can help. He said people just need to try to make their way up as close as possible and start pitching in if they’re able to.

“Everyone owns chainsaws. They need to pick a road and go in with their own equipment, like we’re doing with our helicopters, and just start cutting and sawing their way in,” said Biffle. “At least enough that you can get a UTV in maybe. That’s more practical in the end. And I think that can happen very quickly with the amount of people that are willing to volunteer their time and equipment.

“But the latest I’ve heard is chainsaws. Chains for chainsaws, oil, two-stroke oil to mix with the gas. They’re trying to get the message out now. It changes by the hour what’s needed. They’ve got to cut their way in and cut their way out to get these folks out.”

Biffle said he’s also been extremely heartened by the companies he’s seen personally donating supplies, including Starlink, Polaris ATVs, and even a Mooresville, North Carolina local company called Interstate Cylcle and Watersports that he said is donating as many fuel cans as possible.

“Starlink is sending 300 units,” he said. “They’re flying them as we speak to the Statesville airport. Polaris is donating I think a truckload of generators. Interstate Cycle is donating every fuel can they have, which are really going to help these people that have been stranded for weeks. It’s a great thing.”

Helicopters owned by @JoeGibbsRacing, @TeamHendrick, and @gbiffle look to be flying to Western NC to help out with Hurricane Helene recovery. pic.twitter.com/klRhs20AjU

— Bozi Tatarevic (@BoziTatarevic) September 29, 2024

He also said he’s heard from many within the NASCAR industry who are now asking what they can do to help including two-time Cup Series champion Joey Logano, Roush-Fenway-Keselowski Racing, Stewart-Haas Racing, Andy Petree and more. Joe Gibbs Racing and Kaulig Racing also accepted items for donation on Monday to be bring up to the region.

He said that what started with a two-helicopter operation between his own and McFarland’s has grown overwhelmingly in the last two days.

“It was two helicopters the first day and it went from two to six or eight to start the second day,” Biffle said. “By the end of the day there was probably 20. I bet today there’s probably 30 machines. Lots of people. It’s pretty overwhelming the amount of camaraderie there is with everyone pitching in.”

For those outside of the area that are looking to help out and donate, please donate to the American Red Cross and the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund.