TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Three Busch Series rookies ignited a wild crash involving more than half the 43-car field, bringing out a red flag early in the Aaron's 312 at Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday.

The pileup began on the 16th of 117 laps on the long back straightaway of the 2.66-mile oval when Shane Hmiel ran into the rear of Scott Riggs, who in turn hit and turned over Johnny Sauter in front of most of the bunched field of stock cars.

	Johnny Sauter's No. 2 went airborne in a 29-car wreck during the Aaron's 312.

Riggs said he tried to go around Kenny Wallace on the high side of the banked track, but was blocked and had to brake. Hmiel, also braked but ran into Riggs. Before the action was done, there were cars scattered across the wide track and in the infield grass.

Sixteen drivers were checked at the infield media center, but the only injury was to Scott Wimmer, who received two stitches to close a cut on his tongue.

"Me and the (No.) 10 (Riggs) were racing real good and the 48 (Wallace) moved up and ran the 10 into the wall and he lost his nose," Hmiel said.

"Everybody probably thinks its my fault and it's not, but whatever anyone wants to think is fine. It was just hard racing.

"Everyone waits for the big one here, and it happened."

Sauter's neck and back were covered in mud and gravel after his car flew through the air and slid through the infield grass.

"It was pretty much the most wild ride I've ever been on," said Sauter, chuckling. "I ain't never been on my lid before.

"I just kept hoping and praying I'd end up on my wheels and be able to get out of it. I'm covered in dirt, I thought this was a paved asphalt, so I guess they brought some dirt over from the dirt track across the street."

Toward the back of the crash scene, Mike McLaughlin's car sat atop the car of teammate Coy Gibbs.

Michael Waltrip, who drove right under Sauter's flying car before getting caught up in the crash, said, "I just kept driving and tried to get though it. I knew my hole was going to close up, but I didn't know it would close from above. A car came right out of the air."

NASCAR said 29 cars were involved in the accident.

The race resumed after a 40-minute delay. Only seven cars remained on the lead lap and 25 were either in the garage or on pit road when the cars were restarted.