Stop us if you’ve heard this scenario before. Tony Schumacher enters the final race of the season trailing in the points and has to win the event to claim the championship.

Blame it on Schumacher for making it look easy last season by not only winning the event but in also setting the new elapsed time record.

Standing in his way this time was Bob Vandergriff, a 12-time runner-up in final round matches.

Schumacher certainly had the pressure on his shoulders considering he’d lost two out of three matches in 2007 to Vandergriff. The one bright spot is the final round in Sonoma where Schumacher beat him.

That, and a championship on the line, was all Schumacher needed. He clinched the title with the convincing victory over Vandergriff and edged Hot Rod Fuller by 19 points.

Stop us if you’ve heard this scenario before. Tony Schumacher enters the final race of the season trailing in the points and has to win the event to claim the championship.

Blame it on Schumacher for making it look easy last season by not only winning the event but in also setting the new elapsed time record.

Standing in his way this time was Bob Vandergriff, a 12-time runner-up in final round matches.

Schumacher certainly had the pressure on his shoulders considering he’d lost two out of three matches in 2007 to Vandergriff. The one bright spot is the final round in Sonoma where Schumacher beat him.

That, and a championship on the line, was all Schumacher needed. He clinched the title with the convincing victory over Vandergriff and edged Hot Rod Fuller by 19 points.

“After second round, ‘I said this was déjà vu because my knees were shaking,” Schumacher said. “My guys are so good at crunch time when they absolutely have to do it.”

Schumacher credited the new championship format for allowing him to test for certain conditions, specifically today’s championship run.

“We tested motors and we tested parts,” Schumacher said. “The stuff that went on those cars we felt were perfect. Parts and pieces break and that testing time will enable you to eliminate those parts. It’s a blessing for us.”

Making his fourth consecutive triumph even sweeter was that he did it on his dad, drag racing legend Don Schumacher’s birthday.

“That was huge,” Schumacher said. “I hope in 15 years or so that my kids feel the same way about me. He gives us the best.”

Saturday evening Mr. Schumacher asked his son out to dinner. He declined because he wanted to retreat to his bus and relax for Sunday’s challenge.

“I went back to my bus and had six Del tacos and … that was a bad idea.”