AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Championship contender Martin Cardenas has decided to withdraw from the final event of the 2009 season, at New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP). Team M4 Suzuki’s Cardenas was tied in points with Rossmeyers RMR Geico Powersports Buell’s Danny Eslick heading into the penultimate round August 14-16 at Virginia International Raceway (VIR), but Cardenas crashed and broke his right hand during practice at that event. Cardenas rode around his injury and through his pain at VIR, finished relatively well in each of the two races and left only 17 points behind Eslick. In between races, Cardenas had surgery in Colombia to set his fractured metacarpal with pins, but the surgery ended up being a major part of his current problem. “The situation is my scar is coming apart,” Cardenas told Roadracingworld.com Friday on pit lane at NJMP. “I had the stitches taken out on Monday. My doctor thought it would be OK. “Every time I go out it gets more and more painful, but the main problem is the scar coming open. I’m really worried about getting an infection. So I’m going to stop.” Cardenas’ team used butterfly bandages and glue to try to keep his wound closed Thursday and Friday, but neither was successful and sweat and dirt were getting in the wound inside of Cardenas’ glove while he rode. Cardenas said he also asked medical personnel at the track to re-stitch his wound closed, but they refused, citing a risk of infection. Cardenas’ withdrawal does not result in a Championship clinch for Eslick, as Graves Motorsports Yamaha’s Josh Herrin is 36 points behind Eslick and still has a mathematical chance at winning the Championship. Cardenas’ team also has the option of putting another rider on the #36 Suzuki GSX-R600 and trying to go for the Team Championship in the Daytona Sportbike class. The team is currently “weighing its options,” said Team Owner John Ulrich.