Mexico City, Mexico (My Sportsbook) - Sebastien Bourdais captured Sunday's Champ Car finale - the Gran Premio Telmex-Tecate and clinched the 2004 drivers championship. The No.2 Newman/Haas driver did it in style, leading all 63 laps before taking the checkered flag 4.604 seconds ahead of teammate Bruno Junqueira.

The victory was Bourdais' seventh of the season and 10th of his Champ Car career. The seventh win of 2004 tied Bourdais with Alex Zanardi (1998), Juan Montoya (1999) Cristiano da Matta (2002) and Tracy (2003) for second most in a single season.

Right from the beginning Bourdais was out to show everyone who was boss. The pole winner jumped out to a lead at the drop of the green flag. By lap 20 his lead over Junqueira was already 8.036 seconds and climbing.

As the Frenchman reached the mid-point of the 63-lap event, his lead was more than 16 seconds. But it was evidently too easy for Bourdais and on lap 41, with no one around him, he spun in turn 14.

He managed to keep his engine running, miss the outside retaining wall and return to the track with his lead still intact. But now the lead was down to 5.287 seconds.

Bourdais remained calm, and rebuilt his lead to 10 seconds in a matter of seven laps. He then relaxed and cruised to the checkered flag and his first Vanderbilt Cup.

"Today is a great celebration for the whole Newman/Haas Racing team," said Bourdais.

A.J. Allmendinger, Justin Wilson and Jimmy Vasser completed the top-five.

Junqueira finished second in the drivers championship for the third straight year.

The 2005 Champ Car season is scheduled to begin on April 10th in Long Beach, California.