Harrison Brix of Marina Del Ray, Calif., clinched the SkipBarber Western Region Race Series championship with a pair of wins last weekend at MazdaRaceway Laguna Seca. Despite one race weekend remaining in the 14-race regional FormulaDodge series, the 20 points each for Brix's Saturday and Sunday victories closed out the chancesof his nearest rivals, fellow rookie Adam Tran and veteran Quentin Wahl.

Brix, 23, qualified on the outside front row for race one and took the fight early to polesitterBryan Hixon. But Hixon, while leading, went four-off in Turn Three on lap four to hand the leadto Brix, who for the remaining 13 laps fended off first Tim Traver then Andrew Alfonso, upfrom ninth on the grid.On Sunday, Brix lost the lead to Alfonso at the start, trailing the rookie through the first six lapsbut again Brix was able to take advantage of a big mistake: On lap five Alfonso also found thedirt in Turn Three, allowing Brix to cruise to a six-second win over Traver.Tran, meanwhile, in a different race group, had a miserable start to the weekend. The 22-year-oldfrom Vancouver failed to finish on Saturday when his gearbox went away. But because the seriesallows each driver to "drop" one race, Tran still had a title chance if he could win on Sunday.That was not to be as Tran -- very quick but still lacking a bit in race craft -- spun coming out ofthe Nine on the very first lap to end his title hopes.

For the year, Brix has won nine of 12 starts, and his Western Series championship comes on theeve of his first start in the Skip Barber National Series, its 2004 season opening this week atSebring International Raceway in support of the 52nd annual 12-hour endurance event.