Round 17 Preview: Salt Lake City — Rip It Ron's Picks
Season finale at altitude, big stakes, big whoops, and some spicy +HCP value on the board — let’s build a Salt Lake squad that absolutely prints.
FastMoto_Rider · 7 May 2026
🏍️ Intro
Hey legends, it’s your boy Ron here for the 2026 Salt Lake City finale! Championship vibes, thin air, and one last chance to climb those FastMoto Fantasy leaderboards. We’re talking altitude-adjusted engines, clutch gate picks, and some seriously sneaky +HCP value — let’s cook.
📍 Round Overview — Salt Lake City Season Showdown
Salt Lake City, Rice-Eccles Stadium: traditional SX season finale and one of the most unique stops on the tour.
What matters this weekend:
- Elevation (~4,300 ft): Bikes are a bit down on power, especially out of the gate. Starts are tougher, big triples punish any hesitation. Riders with smooth throttle and momentum-style riding usually shine.
- Track style: Historically we see:
- Long rhythm lanes with multiple options (2-3-3 vs 3-3-2 type stuff)
- A proper whoop section that breaks down and separates the men from the lappers
- Tight 180s into rhythms where you can absolutely rail the berm and send it if you’re confident.
- Conditions: Cool night air in May, traction can be slick early and hook up as ruts form. That late-main moisture plus ruts means mistakes and tip-overs — exactly where your +HCP guys can cash in.
This is the round where some riders ride tight protecting points, and others just send it for glory. For fantasy, we lean into upside + stability and try not to bin it with all-or-nothing heroes.
💥 450 Class Breakdown — Finale Fireworks
We’ve got a nice spread of blue-chippers and punchy +HCP value. At altitude, smoothness and fitness trump raw aggression, so we’re targeting riders with solid recent mains and realistic upside.
Ken Roczen (#94) — The Steady Hammer
- Data check: +0 HCP | Avg 26.5pts | Season 339pts
- Recent: 26, 27, 28.3 — literally Mr. Consistency.
No bonus from +HCP, but Roczen’s floor is elite. At a venue where the track gets sketchy late, his smooth style and bike setup historically shine. In a finale with chaos likely behind him, a safe 2nd–4th on track with clean laps is still a huge raw score.
Fantasy angle: Not the sexiest upside play, but in Round 17 you can’t afford a DNF torpedo. He’s the rock to build around.
Chase Sexton (#4) — Form Guy With Ceiling
- Data check: +3 HCP | Avg 17.3pts | Season 187pts
- Recent: 33, 31, 24.3 — trend: up.
Sexton’s recent fantasy form is 🔥. Those results say he’s figured out the setup and cut down the big mistakes. Add +3 HCP on a guy with genuine win pace, and you’ve got a massive adjusted ceiling — if he’s P2–P4 on track, adjusted score can flirt with top-of-the-round range.
Fantasy angle: High pace, trending up, and the +3 HCP is tasty. Strong candidate for big points and FMR consideration.
Dylan Ferrandis (#14) — Sneaky Late-Season Heater
- Data check: +5 HCP | Avg 17.7pts | Season 192pts
- Recent: 21, 17, 25.3 — trend: up.
Ferrandis is quietly putting it together. The +5 HCP is the key: a 7th–9th on track can turn into a mid-top-10 adjusted finish and strong fantasy haul. He’s a momentum rider, and a rutted SLC surface suits that Euro-style stand-up, carry-speed approach.
Fantasy angle: Awesome blend of value and reasonable floor. Perfect for your main squad.
Garrett Marchbanks (#36) — Big Boy, Big Value
- Data check: +7 HCP | Avg 24.3pts | Season 285pts
- Recent: 29, 28, 20.3 — extremely serviceable.
Marchbanks with +7 HCP is exactly the kind of finale pick that can drag you up the leaderboard. If he’s a 9th–11th place guy on track, the adjusted finish can sneak into that 4th–7th zone with strong points. He’s been consistently in the mix and generally avoids the crazy late-race meltdowns.
Fantasy angle: Ceiling + value, especially at altitude where his size doesn’t matter as much as his rhythm timing and whoop composure.
Justin Hill (#46) — Volatile, But We Love the +5
- Data check: +5 HCP | Avg 24.7pts | Season 311pts
- Recent: 4, 36, 28.7 — all over the map.
Hill is your classic “Ron might look like a hero or a clown” pick. The 4pts outing shows the risk, but the other two recent mains (36 and 28.7) show what happens when he nails the start and stays upright. With +5 HCP, a top-10 on track pops nicely.
Fantasy angle: Not ideal as your safest guy, but as a ceiling play in a finale? Absolutely in the conversation.
🔥 250 Class Breakdown — Lightweight Mayhem at Altitude
The 250s always get spicy in Salt Lake, especially with titles wrapped or out of reach for some guys — they tend to just pin it and see what happens. We’ve got several zero-HCP elites and some chunky +HCP grinders.
Cole Davies (#37) — Title-Caliber Base
- Data check: +0 HCP | Avg 29.8pts | Season 342pts
- Recent: 0, 26, 22.3 — trend: down, but don’t panic.
That 0 hurts, but it also means recency bias will scare people off. Davies’ season-long average is elite; when he stays off the deck, he’s a podium guy almost every time. In a finale, expect him to reset, get the gate pick right, and manage the night.
Fantasy angle: No +HCP, but huge raw pace and bounce-back potential. Strong anchor.
Daxton Bennick (#58) — Raw Speed, Big Reward
- Data check: +0 HCP | Avg 28pts | Season 331pts
- Recent: 0, 43, 26.7 — down only because of that goose egg.
We’ve seen Bennick absolutely rip starts and control mains when he’s feeling it. The 43pt outing tells you all you need to know about his ceiling. The risk is similar to Davies — a crash can nuke your round — but his upside in a finale where others ride tight is massive.
Fantasy angle: Boom-or-bust, but the boom is round-winning material. Great FMR candidate if you can stomach the risk.
Seth Hammaker (#10) — The Quiet Points Monster
- Data check: +0 HCP | Avg 24.3pts | Season 293pts
- Recent: 0, 28, 27.7 — trend listed as down, but last two mains are tidy.
When Hammaker stays off the deck, he’s a podium threat with very clean technique. The last two scoring rounds show stable, high-end results. No +HCP, but a legit top-3–5 on track is always on the table.
Fantasy angle: Slightly lower raw ceiling than a full “win it or bin it” guy, but a very strong main-squad lock.
Devin Simonson (#89) — Value Workhorse
- Data check: +5 HCP | Avg 23.5pts | Season 282pts
- Recent: 0, 34, 20 — trend: down due to that zero, but numbers are solid.
Simonson with +5 HCP is tasty. A 7th–10th on track can be transformed into a much stronger adjusted result. He’s generally racy, fights the full moto, and benefits when faster but sketchier guys lawn-dart themselves late.
Fantasy angle: Exactly the kind of +HCP value I want backing up my zero-HCP aces.
Henry Miller (#53) — MX Guy Who Can Grind
- Data check: +6 HCP | Avg 23.1pts | Season 237pts
- Recent: 0, 30, 26 — again, one bad round skewing a strong trend.
Miller’s +6 HCP plus recent 30 and 26pt efforts scream value. He’s not usually the flashiest starter, but he passes late and rarely fully detonates. In a rutted, physical SLC layout, that late-moto grind is exactly what we want.
Fantasy angle: Very strong middle-tier pick with upside if carnage hits names above him.
💡 Sleeper Picks of the Week
These are your “win your league if they pop” plays — not the obvious stars, but the maths and recent form say there’s juice here.
Jorge Prado (#26) — Learning Curve Lottery Ticket
- Data check: +8 HCP | Avg 15.9pts | Season 173pts
- Recent: 30, 17, 6 — volatile, but that 30 stands out.
Prado’s still adapting, but when he figures a track out, he looks silky smooth and can run near the front. With +8 HCP, even a 10th–12th on track can convert into solid adjusted finishing position. If he nails the start and avoids those late-main struggles, he could be one of the best value plays of the weekend.
Why he’s a sleeper: People remember the 6pt stinker; Ron remembers the 30pt heater. Classic leverage.
Gavin Towers (#73) — Late-Season Elevator
- Data check: +12 HCP | Avg 14.9pts | Season 199pts
- Recent: 0, 34, 23 — trend: up.
Towers is quietly building. That +12 HCP is enormous in 250 land. If he rides to a simple 10th–14th on track, the adjusted result jumps several spots and your fantasy score looks spicy. Add the uptrend and you’ve got a proper dark horse.
Why he’s a sleeper: Name value is low, but the form and +HCP combination scream late-season breakout potential.
📝 Ron’s FastMoto Fantasy Squad — Salt Lake City
Here’s how I’m lining up the gate for Round 17, balancing ceiling, +HCP value, and not completely punting my floor in the finale.
450 Squad
main450_1 – Chase Sexton (#4)
Win-capable with +3 HCP and trending up. That’s fantasy gold.main450_2 – Dylan Ferrandis (#14)
Upward trend, +5 HCP, and smooth style built for ruts and altitude.main450_3 – Garrett Marchbanks (#36)
+7 HCP, consistent recent scores, and legitimate top-10 on-track speed.fmr450 – Ken Roczen (#94)
2x points on the most consistent elite scorer in the class. Ceiling plus rock-solid floor for the finale.reserve450 – Justin Hill (#46)
Volatile, but his +5 HCP and occasional big scores make him perfect insurance if someone DNFs.
250 Squad
main250_1 – Cole Davies (#37)
Season-long stud, due for a tidy rebound after that 0. Anchor the class with him.main250_2 – Seth Hammaker (#10)
Two strong recent mains, podium-level pace, safe top-tier play.main250_3 – Devin Simonson (#89)
+5 HCP grinder who can quietly climb the adjusted order.fmr250 – Daxton Bennick (#58)
Give the 2x multiplier to his enormous win/podium upside — could be the league-winning move.reserve250 – Henry Miller (#53)
+6 HCP with solid recent form; dependable backup with sneaky ceiling.
🤙 Signing Off
This is it, legends — last gate drop of the 2026 SX season, one more chance to claw back your mates and print those bragging rights. Lock in a smart mix of steady hammers and high-upside senders, then sit back and watch Salt Lake chaos do the rest.
Stay pinned,
— Ron 🤙