Scott Dixon went from pole-sitter to winner's circle as he finished 1.7498 seconds ahead of Vitor Meira. Robert Laberge/Getty Images Related Links Dixon survives crash-filled race for first Indy win

INDIANAPOLIS -- The buzz was back at the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday as one of the largest crowds in years filled the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, including NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France, who was on the starting grid before the race.

As many as 350,000 fans returned after so many years of strife with the split in open-wheel racing and got to celebrate a "unified" Indy 500 with all the stars in the starting lineup, including Indy 500 winner Scott Dixon of Auckland, New Zealand.

Let's take a look at several aspects that made Sunday's 92nd Indy 500 one to remember.

Hero of the race

Dixon, whose blazing speed is matched by his quiet confidence and demeanor.

He was the fastest driver at Indy nearly every day in practice, he was the fastest on pole day when he ran a four-lap average of 226.366 miles per hour and he was the fastest driver on the day it mattered the most: race day.

Dixon led seven times for 115 laps in the 200-lap race but it was the speed his car showed on the last two restarts of the race that left his competitors in the dust.

And as his pursuers were too busy fighting it out amongst themselves, it allowed Dixon to pull away at the end of the race to win by 1.7498 seconds over Vitor Meira.

Armed with the fastest car at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with 30 laps to go, he was struck by the realization it was now up to him to close out the victory.

"On the last 30 laps you feel quite alone out there," Dixon said. "You're like, 'Oh [bleep], it's actually down to me on this. I better not mess up because everybody has given me the tools to do it.' It does fall on you a little bit there."

At the end, Dixon was the driver to beat and nobody could beat him.

Goat of the race

Ryan Briscoe for taking out the darling of Indy, Danica Patrick, in pit lane with 29 laps left in the race.

Patrick was so livid she climbed out of her car, took off her gloves and headed down pit lane to confront Briscoe for taking her out of the race.

She was stopped by Charles Burns, the head of security at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He directed Patrick over the pit wall and she stalked back to her pit surrounded by an army of camera people.

"It's probably best that I didn't get down there any way," Patrick said. "I was pulling out of pit lane and from what I know it was pretty obvious what happened.

"The guys worked hard today and we had a great car all month but we didn't get to show it at the end."

Briscoe admitted afterwards that he was at fault.

"It's a real shame," he said. "I just saw the replay and it confirmed my thoughts. We were both out there trying to win the Indy 500 today, and when it is time to go, you have to go. But from what I can see, there was still plenty of room on the right side for here to get around and there are people points fingers but that's not the way we are.

"We both have a brake pedal in our cars and from what I can tell, there was still plenty of room for her to get around me. I was trying to get around Wheldon, and I was staying in the middle lane. I got ran up in the back and it's a shame."

Patrick has never been a fan of Briscoe and that dates back to their rookie season of 2005 when Briscoe ran Patrick off the race course at Infineon Raceway. She confronted the driver after that incident three years ago and was ready to do it again Sunday.

"You just don't come out of your pit box and swing three lanes out," Patrick said. "That's why there is a `get up to speed' lane and an `at speed' lane.

"I was at speed."