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While Beaubier is no longer in contention, he returned from injury at COTA and won his first race back. He clearly has returned to form and could factor into the fight for the 2026 Quad Lock Superbike Championship. So could the weather. Even if they run Saturday's Race 1 on a dry circuit, gusty winds will be in play.
When MotoAmerica scheduled the season finale in New Jersey, they were not considering the last weekend in September can bring any season to the circuit. This weekend will see the Eastern Seaboard, from North Carolina to New England slammed with a Nor'easter. If races do move forward, weather will be a major factor.
Strack Racing's Mathew Scholtz and Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing's JD Beach also are still alive mathematically in the fight to the finish. Whoever does come out on top at the end of the final three races, we will see a new Quad Lock Superbike champion. The four riders that remain in contention have never won a Superbike Championship.
Sean Dylan Kelly's strategy should be measured. He does not have to win races, he just needs to make sure he finishes them. With 279 points, he needs only to keep pace with those still in contention in this weekend's three races.
New Jersey's Thunderbolt Circuit is a clockwise 2.25-mile, 13-turn road course with a fast, flowing and technical run through the final sector that leads onto the half-mile front straight. With a first turn that sets up prime passing opportunities.
With the promise of a wet weekend, being smart doesn't apply just to SDK. Fong, Sholtz and Beach all need to stay upright to have a chance and that may be a challenge. Riders with nothing to lose, like Ducati riders Beaubier, Wrench Cycles Cam Petersen and Rahal Ducati Moto's PJ Jacobsen, who hails from neighboring New York, can throw caution to the wind this weekend. they'll be plenty of it.
M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Brandon Paasch is eighth and will race in front of his home-crowd from nearby Freehold, New Jersey. Paasch’s teammate Richie Escalante, who is recovering from injury (ninth in points), will miss the final round but 20-year-old Pennsylvanian Tyler Scott suits up for the finale at what is his home race on the calendar.
The title contenders would be well-served to stay level headed and not get sucked into fights up and down the grid. That can easily lead to riding over the limit in adverse conditions. Beach has a flat track lineage and has good form in the rain, as does SDK. Sitting behind Kelly by 49 points, even a clean sweep will have JD hoping for some lack of judgement from Kelly.
it is Kelly's title to lose, but as Fong proved in 2025, it can be done.
Broadcasts of the tripleheader finale weekend at New Jersey Motorsports Park can be seen on VICE TV, with Saturday's Race 1 at 3:00 PM likely the best chance for the driest race. Race 2 and Race 3 on Sunday see a 76% chance of rain and air at Noon and 3:00 PM Eastern.
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