A total of 17 cars were involved in a crash on Lap 18. Notice that race winner Martin Truex Jr. (8), is right in the middle of it. Credit: AP

Talladega Busch race a battle of survival

Multiple wrecks mean trying times for teams, body shops

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- After a backbreaking 10 cautions, it may take days to clean up the mass of sheet metal littering the Busch Series garage at Talladega.

Only a quarter of the field escaped without damage in Saturday's Aaron's 312, and half of the three-hour event was spent under the yellow flag.

Jeremy Mayfield's Dodge limps about. Credit: Autostock

Race Results Aaron's 312 Pos. Driver Make 1. Martin Truex Jr. Chevrolet 2. Jon Wood Ford 3. D. Stremme Dodge 4. Ashton Lewis Jr. Ford 5. Kerry Earnhardt Chevrolet Complete results, click here Standingsclick here Victory LaneMartin Truex Jr. survives a wreck-fest at Talladega Final lapsTruex Jr. takes the checkered flag at the Aaron's 312 Top finishersDavid Stremme and Jon Wood on their finishes Wheels upCasey Mears goes airborne but walks away Wreck reactionDrivers share their frustration after a big wreck The Big One strikesSixteen cars are collected in a wreck on Lap 17 Sign up for TrackPass now BUY YOUR NEXTEL DRIVER PHONE

Even the winner, Martin Truex Jr., had damage after he ran into a Lap-17 crash that involved 16 cars.

The race, delayed three hours by rain, was on its 10th green-flag lap -- 18th overall -- when the field piled up in Turn 1, sending tempers into a boiling point.

It all started when Mike Wallace and Casey Mears touched as the field went three-wide into Turn 1. Mears was shoved into J.J. Yeley, which sent Yeley into the wall. A demotion derby ensured.

The wreck involved three of the top four in Busch Series points, including leader Carl Edwards, who's Ford sustained heavy front-end damage.

Edwards entered Talladega with nine top-10s in a row, having completed every lap in the Busch Series this season.

He completed 47 laps on Saturday. He entered the day with a 156-point lead, and since so many cars also suffered damage, he lost only nine points.

Clint Bowyer limped home 19th and took over second place from Reed Sorenson, who was also involved in the Lap 18 accident.

"It's really hard to dodge that stuff," said Edwards. "This is pretty bad but we're leading the points because we have got a great team."

"I thought we were going to make it through," Edwards said. "The 18 (J.J. Yeley) hit the wall and started coming back down and I thought, ' I am going to sneak right around him and miss this whole deal,' and somebody else hit him and it was over with."

Yeley arguably took the hardest hit. After he bounced off the wall, half the field seemingly crashed into him.

"The first hit into the wall wasn't too bad," said Yeley, who was uninjured. "I know what a pinball feels like. And it's not real good."

Both Yeley and Nextel Cup regular Kyle Busch said that cars were rushing to the front, which helped trigger the crash.

"Six laps into the race. Kind of stupid," Busch said. "I had a pretty decent view of it. I don't know who got into the 09 (Mike Wallace), but the first thing I saw was the 09 getting bounced around and turned sideways. It all escalated from there."

"(It was) stupid out there. I guess you can see something like that coming," said Yeley. "There was still a long way to go. We're going to have to pit regardless. A lot of anxiousness out there and guys not using their heads."

Mears was later eliminated after barrel-rolling his Dodge in a four-car crash on Lap 83.

The wreck, which occurred at the start-finish line, started when Joe Nemechek turned into rookie Denny Hamlin, who careened into Mears.

All three has been in the top 10 most of the day. The crash also claimed the car of Paul Menard, who led 25 laps.

All four went to the infield care center, where they were treated and released.