MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin (AFP) - Australian Ryan Briscoe shrugged off a controversial Indianapolis 500 to capture his first IndyCar victory at the Milwaukee Mile circuit.

Briscoe had provoked the wrath of Danica Patrick over a pit lane crash at the celebrated Indy 500 last Sunday.

But he bounced back this week in a race that ended under caution after a crash involving pole sitter Marco Andretti and Ed Carpenter in the closing laps.

Briscoe was able to slip by unscathed and earn Team Penske's 300th win ahead of Indianapolis 500 winner Scott Dixon of New Zealand.

Briscoe became the 15th driver to win for the team, completing the 225 laps in 1hr 42min 41.738sec.

Last year's race winner, Tony Kanaan of Brazil, was third, followed by England's Dan Wheldon and Brazilian Helio Castroneves.

After a miserable rookie season at Target/Chip Ganassi Racing in 2005, Briscoe was without an IndyCar ride in 2006.

Last year he joined Luczo Dragon Racing, a team co-owned by Penske's youngest son, Jay, and entrepreneur Steve Luczo.

Briscoe continued to impress in Penske's American Le Mans Series Porsche effort last season, so when Sam Hornish jnr made the move to the popular NASCAR stock car series, Briscoe got the ride.

After just two top-10 finishes in the first five races, his victory at Milwaukee saw him vault to eighth in the standings.

Dixon's runner-up finish boosted his lead atop the standings to 28 points over Castroneves.