From the beginning, the Observer linked its future to that of Charlotte and the Piedmont Carolinas. Holden, and the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments. Nevertheless, the paper clearly disapproved of Reconstruction, the policies of Reconstruction governor William W. Unlike many other newspapers, this publication was politically independent and tended to avoid the controversies of the day. Their firm first issued the Observer on 25 Jan. A consistent advocate of economic progress in Charlotte and the surrounding region, the paper, in the mid-twentieth century, also became a strong voice for racial and gender equality in the South.Īt the close of the Civil War, four Confederate veterans and now-unemployed printers moved to Charlotte from nearby towns and began doing business as Smith, Watson & Company. All rights reserved.The Charlotte Observer, founded in 1869, has the largest circulation of any newspaper in North Carolina. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Safety Information / Your California Privacy Rights are applicable to you. ^ Back to Top ^ © 2023 ESPN Internet Ventures. Poole is survived by his wife, two sons, daughter, and one grandson. It came through in what he wrote every day." "He cared about what he did and had a passion for his work. "Whether you agreed with him or not, he made us all think, and that's what the best writers do. "He was truly one of the nation's best and he always wrote what he believed," said Bruton Smith, owner of Lowe's Motor Speedway. Poole had spent the first part of this season working on an upcoming project of 600 hours of coverage leading into next month's 50th anniversary of racing at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord. Sent to a NASCAR assignment on his day off, he never relinquished the beat. He moved to the Observer in 1990, and often joked he fell into the NASCAR beat when the paper, caught up in the coverage of the Carolina Panthers trip to the NFC Championship Game, forgot to hire a replacement for its retiring beat writer. Poole, who also hosted "The Morning Drive" weekday show on Sirius NASCAR Radio, was a four-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association's writer of the year.Ī Gastonia native, he first began working in newspapers as a high schooler at the Gaston Gazette, which he forever referred to as "the birthplace of NASCAR writers." He joined the paper after college in 1981 as city editor, and later moved on to sports editor. "Without driving a car or turning a wrench, David Poole was a racer, and he will be sincerely missed." "He had the courage to say what others would not, and he was deeply respected for it," Hendrick said. NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick will mark his four race cars this weekend with Carolina blue decals - in honor of Poole's alma mater, North Carolina - with his initials "DP." "As someone fortunate enough to make a living doing what I love, I am indebted to David for the exposure he generated for our sport for 13 years, and the direct connection he had with the NASCAR fan base," Earnhardt said. Three-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson said he worked "twice as hard to make sure I earned his respect," and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Praise for Poole's passion for NASCAR poured in from all corners of the industry. "Does somebody have to die before we've decided we don't have control?" "I say it is, and Carl Edwards' crash Sunday into the catch-fence in the tri-oval of the 2.66-mile track merely reinforced that opinion. ![]() "Is racing at Talladega out of control?" he wrote. His final column ran Tuesday morning, and in it, Poole questioned what it would take for NASCAR to realize changes needed to be made to the racing style at the Alabama track. Poole, who joined the Observer in 1990, covered Sunday's race at Talladega Superspeedway, which ended when Carl Edwards' car flew into a safety fence on the last lap and injured seven fans. "He served the industry, and most importantly the fans, through his reporting and commentary." "David was as passionate about NASCAR as anyone, and had very definitive opinions about the sport," NASCAR chairman Brian France said. He was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Poole was stricken at his Stanfield home and his daughter called 911, the paper said. David Poole, who spent 13 years covering NASCAR for The Charlotte Observer, died Tuesday of a heart attack. You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browserĬHARLOTTE, N.C.
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