Most riders seem to like NJMP and despite sketchy parts of the track Mat Mladin is apparently willing to race here. A few things of note: Damien Cudlin is back in action this weekend, making his American Superbike debut on Michael Laverty's #8 Celtic Racing Suzuki AND landing himself a spot on Superpole. There are also several newcomers this weekend including South African Superbike racer Clinton Sellers makes his AMA debut in the Daytona Sportbike class this weekend substituting for the injured Melissa Paris, turns heads by grabbing 3rd spot in basic qualifying, and subsequently gets disqualified with out of spec fuel cited as the reason. Another newcomer is stunter Aaron Colton trying his hand at translating bike control skills into road racing.

As most racing fans are well aware of by now, the bombshell of the weekend award goes to Martin Cardenas who has announced that he is unable to race, tragically ending his title chase at the last race of the season. Points leader Danny Eslick can't exactly cruise home to an easy title, however, with 3rd place Josh Herrin just 19 points down. This can be an interesting weekend...

Just to rewind a bit, here are some relevant Twitter updates from before this morning:

@23race is converging on NJMP for Round 11, the final round of the year!

@jp43 Hanging in infield watching Damo go round. gonna get to do a couple sessions after lunch, can hardly wait. track looks good here in NJ

@johnnyrockpage ROCK UPDATE: My Superbikes no show, made deal 2 rent other Superbikes, they broke down too. Ausie Dave said I can use his GSXR, 3rds a charm

@KyleWymanDropped a couple seconds off my previous best here so it's alllll good

@OTTeditor Mladin #1 bike...Yoshimura Rockstar Makita GSX-R1000. http://twitpic.com/gbl6a

@Tommy24racing Hello world. Here's a picture of lack of skin on my neck while I'm making a frowny face! Yea I crashed. http://yfrog.com/18ut7gj

@MRRichter HA HA LOL..... RT @SoCalBuellRider: Wonder if @JamesGangRacing has seen how @ShawnHigbee breaks in a new engine? http://bit.ly/14dtyV

@CSpeedPhoto Too many bugs out here

@jp43 Just had a great 2 sessions @ NJ Motorsports. great to get to go out & have a rip around. went faster than i thought i would on our 2up bike

@jp43 So people who really know me know im a HUGE Philly Eagles fan. im headed to NY to catch Jets-Eagles game tonight. lookin forward to it.

@jp43 Just got 2 stadium. dinged $20 for parking but on a good note there are more Eagle jerseys going in then Jets.

@23race Bike Night here at Taylor's Cherry Hill NJ filling up and getting underway.

@Tommy24racing Feels like I'm wearing a condom around my neck with this thing... So awkward. Rofl http://yfrog.com/7h3fdj

@KyleWyman chillin in the RV watching some football... getting very tired. real excited for tomorrow though in DSB

@DamoCudlin Good first day here with the Celtic guys. Great team, good to work with, looking forward to the weekend. Off to bed for an early night now.

@joshherrin8 Can not fall asleep!!! Too anxious to ride 2morrow!!!

And here are today's updates, again minus @OnTheThrottleTV for the most part due to non-stop updates. Make sure to check out all the TwitVids.

@joshherrin8 Teesha just ate a piece of bacon that sounded like wood and we have 2 go on our mission 2 sneak the dogs out of the hotel 2 go 2 the track

@Tommy24racing follow josh herrin @joshherrin8 He just made a Twitter account lol

@23race Practice One: Mladin. Hayes. Hodgson. Pegram. Yates. West. Bostrom. Hayden. Knapp. Young. Cudlin. May.

@johnnyrockpage Neil Hodgsen #100 Nasty crashed Superbike coming off front straight... http://yfrog.com/ba9zwj

@DamoCudlin P11 after the first practice. Got a few more adjustments to make for qualifying, hopin to make Superpole. Fingers crossed...

@23race Basic Q Top 10 moving onto Superpole: Hayes. Mladin. Hodgson. Hayden. Yates. Bostrom. Knapp. Pegram. West. Cudlin. May P11

@23race Close field here @NJMP .9 covered the Top 12 in Basic Qualifying from 21.3 to 22.2

@jp43 Real happy for @damocudlin . gets the Celtic bike into Superpole here today @ NJ. well done.

@OnTheThrottleTV Nuclear bomb. Cardenas is out!! Hand wound has split open and they can't stitch it up anymore- Bum deal I'm in disbelief

@chazdavies http://twitpic.com/gf5o0 - @chazdavies says hi (via @CSpeedPhoto)

@DamoCudlin Qualified 10th and made Superpole. Pretty happy with that, Celtic boys doin a great job. Got some names behind us so it's very encouraging.

@superbikeplanet Why not just cancel the entire series now that the DMG agenda has been realized? http://www.superbikeplanet....

@aaroncolton Had a great practice. Dropped good times but ended 15 min early due to rock in the radiator. :(

@joshherrin8 Qualifying went good found a little over a second to finish 4th. Just found out Seller got DQ'd for illegal fuel so we're 3rd. Superpole=1hr

@23race Front Row for ASB is Mladin. Hayes. Yates. Bostrom.

@CSpeedPhoto Superpole in session, @joshherrin8 just picked up a piece of wrapped gum off the ground and stuck it in his suit before taking off.

@DamoCudlin P10 in Superpole. Lap wasn't anything to write home about, but we didn't go backwards. Set up for the race tomorrow morning, then go for it.

@OnTheThrottleTV A fine blog post about Mladin's retirement by John Ethell, Zemke's crew chief. http://bit.ly/18C0nC

@chazdavies Pretty good day today. Made good progress since the morning to get P4 on the grid. I think the races are gonna be gooood.

@joshherrin8 Got 3rd in superpole. Pretty happy. Gettin pretty good at it.

@CSpeedPhoto Having dinner with @OnTheThrottleTV , @OTTeditor , Dave, and @chazdavies

@KyleWyman Daytona Sportbike debut... sitting P26 on the grid for now but we'll find more in the final qualifying session tomorrow morning! -KDubya

Labels: AMA Superbike, Twitter Report