Indianapolis ? The buzz is back at Indy.

Not quite like in the A.J. Foyt and Rick Mears glory days. But it was there, nevertheless, on Sunday, when a crowd of more than 300,000 watched Scott Dixon win his first Indianapolis 500.

Despite the cautions, the race provided high open-wheel drama, as only Indy can.

Dixon (Target Chip Ganassi Racing) drove the perfect race, making up for his heartbreaking defeat in the IndyCar Series championship in 2007.

Vitor Meira (Panther Racing), who finished second, was gallant in defeat.

Marco Andretti (Andretti Green Racing), who placed third, kept his composure after being blamed by teammate Tony Kanaan for forcing the Brazilian into the wall and into the path of oncoming Sarah Fisher.

Fisher was distraught, her day done and her bankbook in tatters-all great story lines and compelling viewing in Indy’s first race since the IRL-Champ Car merger.

And there was more.

A wonderful drive by rookie Ryan Hunter-Reay (Rahal Letterman Racing), who finished sixth; Buddy Rice’s strong eighth for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing; Tomas Scheckter’s stirring run for Luczo Dragon Racing before a broken half-shaft took him out of contention.

Nothing, of course, held the fans’ gaze like the Danica Patrick-Ryan Briscoe incident.

Briscoe (Team Penske) clipped Patrick’s (Andretti Green Racing) car-or Patrick hit Briscoe’s Dallara/Honda, depending on your point of view-as they exited the pits on Lap 171.

The contact ended the day for both drivers and had Patrick seeing red.

After banging her steering wheel in frustration, she climbed from the cockpit and set out to find Briscoe, striding down pit lane toward Briscoe’s car with security and track officials trying to divert her.

Great stuff for TV, the crowd, the IRL-and when the two race again, who knows what might happen.

Patrick is a competitor and wants to do her best every time she sits in a car. She is demanding, can come off as petulant and spoiled, but her job is to win races.

Briscoe is a charming young man who is fast, skilled and focused on proving he is a worthy replacement for Sam Hornish Jr. at Team Penske.

Neither driver was to blame for the accident; both wanted to drink the milk.

The Indianapolis 500 will only get stronger as more teams come to the Brickyard.

Good times are ahead.