Jeff Gordon's shot at sixth Brickyard 400 win over

INDIANAPOLIS -- Jeff Gordon's final start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway took a most unexpected turn.

Gordon, the track's all-time winner in victories on the legendary oval with five, spun and crashed while trying to avoid a spinning Clint Bowyer on a restart with 111 laps to go in Sunday's Brickyard 400.

Bowyer lost control of his car and spun to the left, leaving Gordon no place to go. Gordon wasn't having the day he hoped, having started 19th and not moving up much, but the damage certainly ruined his race.

The No. 24 had to pit several times with damage to his left front and left rear. Finally, crew chief Alan Gustafson called Gordon to the garage for extensive repairs.

And the strangest part? The restart was taking place because NASCAR called a caution for a pair of balloons that had drifted onto the track -- apparently from the ceremonial bundle that is traditionally released before a race at Indianapolis.

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