SPEEDWAY, Ind. -- Jamie McMurray figured teammate Juan Pablo Montoya was destined to win Sunday's Brickyard 400.

Montoya's car dominated last year's race before a late pit road speeding penalty snatched the victory. Montoya returned to Indy this weekend just as strong, leading practice, winning the pole and driving Sunday not as if he was trying to beat 42 competitors but also the century-old track itself.

With 21 laps left, Montoya led -- where he had been for most of the race. McMurray was second.

"I'm a big believer in faith, and I really believed this was Juan's weekend,'' McMurray said. "I just think that things normally work themselves out.''

For Montoya, not this time. What proved to be a bad pit road call dropped Montoya in traffic where he struggled, crashed and finished 32nd.

What proved to be the right pit road call at lap 140 helped McMurray take the lead with 11 laps to go and win the Brickyard 400 before an estimated crowd of 140,000, a figure that means more than 100,000 seats were empty.

McMurray's victory made Chip Ganassi the first car owner to win the Daytona 500, Indianapolis 500 and Brickyard 400 in the same year. As McMurray's team celebrated, Montoya's team left the track exasperated.

What, Ganassi was asked, would he say to Montoya and crew chief Brian Pattie to console them?

"Should have taken two [tires],'' Ganassi replied.

Instead, Pattie told Montoya taking four tires would be best, especially after having some front tire issues earlier in the race. Montoya restarted seventh, as the first six cars took two tires.

"We'll see in 15, 20 minutes if we made the right call,'' Montoya radioed Pattie.

The answer came sooner. Montoya fought the car's handling in traffic -- a problem common at Indy and why so many gambled with two tires for better track position.

"It pushes like ... ,'' Montoya radioed Pattie without completing the sentence. "I can't do anything!"

Moments later, Montoya lost control in turn 4, slammed the wall and was hit by Dale Earnhardt Jr., who couldn't avoid Montoya's crippled car. For the second year in a row, Montoya left this track -- where he won the 2000 Indianapolis 500 -- frustrated. He did not talk to reporters afterward.

Pattie spoke briefly.

"Bad call,'' Pattie said. "Crew chief error. We should have taken two tires.''

Taking two tires was not an easy call for McMurray's crew chief, Kevin Manion. McMurray and Manion debated as McMurray drove down the nearly half-mile long pit road to his stall. McMurray worried he had a flat left front.

McMurray knew taking four tires could cost him a chance to win, putting him deeper in the pack where he would be all but impossible to move forward. All day, cars spread out single-file, making it look as if the field was following the leader much like ducklings follow their mother.

"We had enough speed to where if you put us in the right position, there was no one going to pass you because passing and track position is at a premium,'' Manion said.

Convinced the left front wasn't flat, Manion called for two tires. McMurray restarted second. Kevin Harvick led.

Both spun their tires on the restart and didn't break away from each other. That allowed McMurray to make his move on the outside, motor by Harvick and move ahead.

Harvick finished second and remained the Sprint Cup points leader. Greg Biffle finished third with Clint Bowyer and Tony Stewart completing the top five. Both Biffle and Bowyer took four tires on the last pit stop.

"Wish we would have done two tires at the end like everybody else,'' Biffle said.

A sentiment, no doubt, Montoya felt as he walked to his motorcoach and prepared to leave the track Sunday, without the winner's trophy.

Sprint Cup points standings

1. Kevin Harvick 2920 2. Jeff Gordon -184 3. Denny Hamlin -260 4. Jimmie Johnson -261 5. Kurt Busch -262 6. Kyle Busch -290 7. Jeff Burton -305 8. Matt Kenseth -347 9. Tony Stewart -376 10. Carl Edwards -424 11. Greg Biffle -458

12. Clint Bowyer -474 13. Mark Martin -536 14. Dale Earnhardt Jr. -567 15 . Ryan Newman -621