TALLADEGA, Ala. -- In an accident that looked eerily similar to one involving Dale Earnhardt Jr. earlier in the weekend, at least eight cars were caught up in a Lap 68 accident (watch video) that started when Brian Vickers blew a tire while running near the front of the lead pack during Sunday's Amp Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

“

I was having a lot of fun, even drafting with Junior and them. ... I heard 'bam,' like a shotgun going off, and I was just along the ride after that.

”

MARTIN TRUEX JR.

The crash wiped out the cars of Vickers, Martin Truex Jr., David Gilliland and Kasey Kahne and heavily damaged several others, causing a 17-minute red flag to clean the track.

Amazingly, none of the Chase for the Sprint Cup contenders were involved.

"I just went down into the tri-oval and it didn't cut, it didn't go flat, it just exploded," Vickers said. "I saw the right-front fender going through the air before the front of the car even dropped. It was very similar to what happened to Junior in practice."

Truex was immediately behind Vickers and had nowhere to go. His car was hit repeatedly as it spun out of control, the front bumper torn off and radiator leaking fluid by the time it rolled to a stop up against the infield barrier.

"We were out there, toward the front, racing for the lead," Truex said. "I was having a lot of fun, even drafting with Junior and them. [Vickers] was right there inside of me and his right-front tire exploded. I heard 'bam,' like a shotgun going off, and I was just along the ride after that."

It was a lost weekend for Gilliland, who damaged his primary car when he was riding behind Earnhardt when he exploded a tire during Friday's final practice (watch video).

"That's two tires that took out two of our cars this weekend, one in practice and one in the race," Gilliland said. "We were just taking our time, going from the back to the front. We just got involved in somebody else's deal. It's just the nature of this track. The holes just close up quick and you run out of places to go."

Kahne said his vision was limited by the amount of smoke coming from the accident as it unfolded. By the time he was able to see the spinning cars, he was already involved.

"It's just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time," Kahne said. "I tried to stay as far left as I could. I think [Clint] Bowyer might have been underneath me a little, so I was just trying to creep down there. Then I got hit in the back and turned me back into the field."

All drivers involved were seen at the infield medical center and released. Other cars reportedly involved were Jamie McMurray, Terry Labonte, Tony Raines and Mike Skinner.

Labonte was able to continue in the No. 45 Dodge -- making up several laps using the free pass -- and wound up 17th on the lead lap. While Truex and Gilliland were done for the day, several of the other cars involved returned to the track.

McMurray had tire issues of his own when a right rear exploded on the No. 26 Ford on Lap 184. Skinner finished 31st and Raines 34th, many laps down to the leaders.

Vickers wound up 35th and Kahne 36th after extensive repairs.