David Poole passes away

[Lee Roy]

From Jayski:

This is not only sad from a human perspective, but also sad for NASCAR fans. David Poole was, in my opinion, the best NASCAR writer out there. He did not kiss NASCAR's coat tails, nor was he always banging the negative gong like so many others do. He was always straight up.

I will miss his writing and opinions.


Sad News - David Poole: David Poole, NASCAR Writer for Charlotte Observer for the last 13 years, passed away today. David was one the first writers to ever help Jayski.com and myself back in 1997. No word on arrangements. Thoughts go out to David's family.
From the Charlotte Observer/Thatsracin: David Poole, an Observer reporter who became one of country’s leading authorities on NASCAR, died of a heart attack this afternoon. He was 50. Poole had just returned from last week’s race at Talledega, Ala. He was at his Stanfield home when the heart attack occurred. His daughter called 911. Emergency crews rushed him to the hospital in Stanly County, where he was pronounced dead. Poole, a Gastonia native, became the Observer’s NASCAR writer 13 years ago. He hosted "The Morning Drive" show weekday mornings on Sirius NASCAR Radio. He was a four-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association’s George Cunningham Award as the organization's writer of the year. “He was the best in his field, there’s no doubt about that,” Observer editor Rick Thames said this afternoon in announcing Poole’s death to a hushed newsroom. Poole’s final column ran the day he died. In it he called the track at Talledega an “anachronism” after a day of dramatic crashes Sunday. “Talk about guys who own their beat, that’s what David did,” said Observer sports editor Mike Persinger. Guest book: Post your condolences.(4-28-2009)

[slorydn1]

Truly a sad thing :(

RIP David, You will be missed

[Lee Roy]

His final column. Worth a read. Poole DID NOT carry NASCAR's water.

http://www.thatsracin.com/135/story/7980.html

[muggle not]

Without question, David Poole was a great Nascar writer. I thoroughly enjoyed his columns and will miss him. R.I.P.

[RaceFanStan]

Sad, I really valued David Poole's opinion & I reveled that he didn't even try to be "politically correct".

Godspeed David.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g202/gr8link/misc/c.gif

[NickFalzone]

I emailed David a few times back in the fall with some kind of generic NASCAR questions and he was very thorough and quick in his responses. He really knew his stuff, and I'm very saddened to see him go. I feel like a lot of sports journalists are fakes, posers, and average at-best writers that often know less than the average fan. But David was a very talented writer that was also a true expert on NASCAR (he also talked some IRL stuff with me). I occasionally listen in on some NASCAR press conferences with drivers and some of those guys had lamest questions, but David would always have a great question, the one as a fan I'd want to hear asked. Again, very sad, we lost one of the great ones.

[call_me_andrew]

It's a shame to lose one of the few remaining objective journalists.

[Sparky1329]

Condolences to his friends, family and colleagues. Who will challenge NASCAR now? :(

RIP David.

[Mark in Oshawa]

It is strange. I am a HUGE David Poole fan and I was chomping at the bit Tuesday to get to my rig and tune in David's show on the Sirius in the Rig. I got to work and caught that last hour with he and Bagley. I was not knowing of course he teed off on Bags and NASCAR on the Monday show and anyone who had the guts to face the lion as well but on Tuesday he was hearing everyone elses opinion for the most part. I only heard that last hour and thought it was strange he was being pretty passive, but I should of course known he had already vented. His displeasure with plate racing and Dega in particular was well known and it is ironic that was his last race.

I was in and out of the truck and listening to terrestrial radio from about 11 am until I tuned in Moody's "Sirius Speedway" show at 1500 and when he opened up with "We mourn the loss of David Poole" I almost drove the truck off the road. It shook me, and then when Poole's co-host Mike Bagley came on with Dave Moody you could hear the emotion and tears and I had a lump in my throat that has been there for a few days.

David Poole was more than just a radio personality, columnist or anything else. He was a tremendous stepdad to his three kids, his grandson of 2 years Eli, a wife to Katy and an all around good guy. He was argumentative, opinionated, stubborn, and often abrupt and wouldn't suffer fools gladly. He challenged NASCAR constantly and anyone who didn't think out their arguments. I would argue in my mind with many of his ideas, but was only lucky to get on the phone with him once and while I didn't change his opinion, I enjoyed the exchange.

David Poole's passing struck me to the core because I felt he was my friend. No other loss in racing has hit me as hard because he wasn't a driver, and it was unexpected ( to us anyhow, Katy Poole mentioned on the show on Friday when she was on with Mike Bagley David was actually in need of a heart transplant....and I am not sure that was officially out there or not). David Poole wasn't driving a race car but as Dale Jr. put it, he was as important to racing as the drivers or the cars.

He died far too young...and I imagine he is up in heaven telling the France's what a mess NASCAR is now and telling Earnhardt how things are. God speed David Poole....

[oldhippie]

David Poole was great
he will be missed in the nascar community :(

[tstran17_88]

No other loss in racing has hit me as hard because he wasn't a driver, and it was unexpected It was sad news and I'll miss his columns as well because David and Monte Dutton were/are the best two in the biz. I have a hard time thinking it was totally unexpected though. He must have weighed close to 400 pounds?

[Mark in Oshawa]

It was sad news and I'll miss his columns as well because David and Monte Dutton were/are the best two in the biz. I have a hard time thinking it was totally unexpected though. He must have weighed close to 400 pounds?


I am not sure How big he was, but yes, it really shouldn't be a surprise. His wife Katy mentioned I think in passing when she appeared with Mike Bagley the Friday of that week on TMD that David was on a list for heart transplants. I am not sure on how accurate that is, and whether being that big would disqualify him. I think David fought his weight most of his life, and it is a sad thing to be that big and probably be fighting one's metabolism and urges.

AS someone who sits for a living, and weighs..ummm a bit too much, it is a warning to me. I am consciously now trying to eat better. I do not want to follow the David Poole example although I am damned slim in comparsion to his former size....

[tstran17_88]

I saw a few pictures of him before he passed and it did look like David lost quite a bit of weight over the past few years.

[Lee Roy]

AS someone who sits for a living, and weighs..ummm a bit too much, it is a warning to me. I am consciously now trying to eat better. I do not want to follow the David Poole example although I am damned slim in comparsion to his former size....

Weight Watchers is a great program. I've been a lifetime member for a number of years now. It works for me.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Weight Watchers is a great program. I've been a lifetime member for a number of years now. It works for me.
If I wasn't on the road and so tempted into eating really BAD food...lol, I likely would join. I am 6'2" and 250. That is too much. That said, I am not David Poole big.

Nice touch by Lowes Motor Speedway, apparently they were going to have some words said and honour him in the pre race for the 600.