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INDIANAPOLIS - Indianapolis racing fans expected more than a parade of caution periods Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Given the tire situation, they ended up with a series of short sprints won by Jimmie Johnson and left the largest attended race on the NASCAR circuit mostly dissatisfied .

"My wife wanted a souvenir. I should have bought her a caution flag," said Max Guillozet of Rossburg, Ohio.

The subject of tires is a sensitive subject in Indianapolis, site of the Formula One fiasco in 2005. Back then, 14 of 20 starting drivers pulled off the track, citing safety concerns, before the green flag waved and fans threw beer in disgust.

Nothing like that happened Sunday, but the loud cheers normally associated with passes and chases were muted and some fans heard others complaining about NASCAR's decision to throw six competition cautions, turning the race into a series of short sprints none longer than 12 consecutive laps.

"I think there were a lot of disappointed fans because I heard it in the stands," said Alan Wood of Pendleton, Ind., who also attended the F1 debacle. "I hope (speedway president) Joie Chitwood will demand Goodyear never do this again."

Chitwood later issued a statement saying that the track surface hasn't changed since 2005 and that it was not the race the speedway wanted to have for the largest crowd on the circuit.

Despite the problems, it was a record-setting day. Sixteen drivers led the race, breaking the previous mark of 13 set in 1994 and matched in 1996, and there were a record 26 lead changes. There were 21 in 1994. Nine drivers led the race for the first time, the most since 13 held the lead in the inaugural event of 1994.

And not everyone walked away angry — including some who were not Johnson fans.

Illinois residents Stephanie Sheehan, who wore a Jeff Gordon shirt, and Christina Boer, donning a Dale Earnhardt Jr. shirt, considered it one of the better Indy races they had attended.

"It was pretty good, there was a lot of battling," Sheehan said.

But the race will be remembered most for its deliberate pace. It was the second longest Brickyard in 15 years, taking 3 hours, 28 minutes, 29 seconds, and produced the most laps ever run under caution (52). The old record was 47 in 2004.

And although most fans believed they watched a legitimate race and saw a legitimate winner, most do not want to watch a recurrence next year.

"I always said I wanted a shootout," Wood said. "I'm not so sure any more. I think Goodyear should have learned from Formula One. I'll give NASCAR credit for this, the show went on."