“The NASCAR community is stunned and saddened by the loss of David Poole. David was as passionate about NASCAR as anyone and had very definitive opinions about the sport. He served the industry, and most importantly the fans, through his reporting and commentary in the Charlotte Observer and Sirius Satellite Radio. Our thoughts and prayers go out to David’s family and friends. He will be missed.” — Brian France, NASCAR chairman and CEO
Texas Motor Speedway’s staff offers its thoughts and prayers to the family of respected veteran Charlotte Observer motorsports reporter David Poole, who passed away today. Speedway President Eddie Gossage also expressed his sentiments: “David was a powerful and prolific voice in NASCAR as a result of his role at The Charlotte Observer. He called me just last night and we talked for a while about a column he was working on, so this is very stunning to me. The thing I liked about David was that you could argue a counterpoint to his thoughts and while he might argue his point vociferously, he had an open mind to understand your position. Even if he still disagreed, he would respectfully concede the validity of your position. I’ve lost a friend and colleague, the sport lost a prescient voice but, worst of all, the Poole family lost a vital member.” — Eddie Gossage, president, Texas Motor Speedway
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of NASCAR beat writer David Poole. Our thoughts go out to his wife, Katy, and his entire family. Our sympathy also goes to everyone in the NASCAR community – David’s extended family.
“It is extremely difficult to put into words the impact David Poole had on our sport. His talents went beyond the ability to craft mere words into a story. David had a gift for debate that drove fans wild, and he was sometimes as entertaining as the action on the track. He was a passionate racing fan and cared deeply for the sport he treasured. His passion was evident in the countless hours he invested from the earliest of wake-up calls for his live SIRIUS show to the latest of nights at the track to meet his deadline for the Charlotte Observer. David was a staple in the sport and always will be remembered as a NASCAR legend. He will be missed.” — Statement from Sprint, title sponsor of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to David’s family. He was a friend of everybody in the garage area. He could be controversial from time to time but he always wrote and spoke what he believed. He didn’t pull any punches with anybody and that’s what people respected about him. He was good for the sport and will be missed.” — Richard Childress, President and CEO Richard Childress Racing
“David worked his ass off for our sport, whether it was in his writing or on his radio show. His life revolved around the sport and we’re obviously very saddened by the loss. He will be missed.” — Clint Bowyer, driver of the No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet
“I’ve gotten to know (David) Poole really well over the years. He spent a lot of time with the No. 31 team every weekend and would sit and have conversations with us on just about everything. He was fun to agree and debate with. I admired his professionalism and work ethic and he did a great job of reporting our sport to the fans. He’s someone I have a lot of respect for and he will definitely be missed.” — Jeff Burton, driver of the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet
“David was a great person. I loved being on his radio shows because he always found a way to make you laugh during the interview. He always made you feel like you were best buds that had known each other for years. He was a superb writer that always had creative angles to make a story the best it could be. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family during this difficult time. We’ll all miss seeing his face in the garage area. It’s a sad day for our NASCAR community to lose this incredible writer and dear friend.” — Stephen Leicht, driver of the No. 29 Holiday Inn/Holiday Inn Express Chevrolet
“David Poole was a professional and his passing is a big loss to our sport. I always had a very good working relationship with David. He always knew when the right time to approach a driver was and when it wasn’t. He was a fair and objective reporter and someone who I had a great deal of respect for. I always appreciated his no nonsense approach. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.” — Casey Mears, driver of the No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet
“Losing David is a huge blow to the NASCAR community. I feel we have lost one of the “old-guard” of the NASCAR press corps. As a longtime motorpsorts journalist, David was as knowledgeable about NASCAR as anyone I have ever met. I want his family to know that the thoughts and prayers of everyone at Talladega Superspeedway are with them during this difficult time. “ — Talladega Superspeedway President Rick Humphrey
“I am shocked and saddened to hear the news that our sport has lost David Poole. My thoughts go out to his family. He was someone who loved our sport and wasn’t afraid to voice his opinion. That’s what made him one of the most respected members of our media. I know I worked twice as hard to make sure I earned his respect. I am proud of what he has done for our sport and I know he will be truly missed by everyone in NASCAR.” —Jimmie Johnson, driver of No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet
“The staff at Auto Club Speedway is saddened to learn of the passing of David Poole. His passion, knowledge and dedication to motorsports will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends and colleagues.” — Gillian Zucker, President, Auto Club Speedway
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