Brian Sockwell was uninjured after striking the SAFER barrier coming off turn four during practice today for the Virginia is for Lovers 200 Craftsman Truck Series race. The truck, however, was damaged beyond immediate repair, and the Ware Racing team withdrew from tonight’s race. Sockwell, who became the first driver to hit the so-called “soft wall” since the barrier designed to lessen impacts had been installed, said the impact still carried a punch. “It didn’t feel too soft,” he said. “I’m sure it helped,” he said of the barrier. “I’m just a little sore; that was a pretty good lick. Something broke, and it went straight into the wall coming off [the turn]. I was already in the throttle pretty hard.”(Winston Cup Scene Daily Newsletter)(9-4-2003)
