Ryan Briscoe and a multi-car accident three laps from home denied Scott Dixon the chance to join the elite list of drivers to add victory at the Milwaukee Mile to the one he took at Indianapolis last weekend.
Just as he had been at the Brickyard seven days ago, Dixon was the dominant force in the ABC Supply/AJ Foyt Indy 225 once he had taken the lead from polesitter Marco Andretti on lap 40, but the Kiwi was hunted down by Briscoe 49 laps from home.
The pair then continued to run away from the chasing pack, with Dixon coming close to retaking the lead in the closing stages, but a four-car incident on lap 222 of 225 ensured that the race finished under caution, handing Briscoe his maiden success.
The race had begun in dramatic fashion, with those deep in the field after qualifying trying to make immediate progress. Townsend Bell was the most conspicuous, claiming no fewer than eleven places – most of them around the high side – on lap one, but not all were so successful.
A melee on the opening lap saw several three- and four-abreast moments, with Oriol Servia have his nose wing damaged as a result. The Spaniard chopped across the front of Justin Wilson's car as he dived for the pits, but it took several stops for the KV Racing Technology team to rectify the problem, all the while attempting to keep Servia on the lead lap.
Their efforts proved to be in vain, despite a yellow flag covering the field from the second lap, with Servia eventually rejoining just behind leader Andretti on lap six.
The poleman had got the jump on fellow youngster Graham Rahal at the green, with Dixon heading the pursuit from Will Power, Tony Kanaan, Helio Castroneves and Dan Wheldon, while Bell chased Ryan Hunter-Reay and Ernesto Viso after his flying start.
Servia wasted little time in reclaiming his lost lap once the race resumed, diving past Andretti and immediately pulling away from the pack. Dixon, too, was also on the move, taking Rahal for second.
