The Observer reported that Poole was at his Stanfield, NC home when the heart attack occurred. After his daughter called 911, emergency crews transported him to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Poole became the newspaper's NASCAR writer 13 years ago. He was a four-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association's George Cunningham Award as that organization's writer of the year.

"The NASCAR community is stunned and saddened by the loss of David Poole," NASCAR chairman Brian France said in a statement. "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."

Poole covered last weekend's races at Talladega Speedway. In his final column, which ran the day he passed away, he referred to the 2.66-mile Alabama racetrack as an "anachronism," following two major pileups and Carl Edwards' last-lap spectacular crash in the Sprint Cup Series event.

Three-time defending Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson said in statement, "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."