Crockett brothers making strides in sled racing circuit

PABLO — Brothers Michael and Tyler Crockett are heating things up on the professional snowmobiling hill climbing racing circuit, which wrapped up last month, and are slowly gaining national attention for their efforts.

The brothers first started riding snowmobiles 10 years ago when their dad decided to get a sled for around the house.

The boys started to get better at controlling the sleds and entered their first high climb race at Blacktail Mountain three years ago. Michael was 18 and Tyler was 16 at the time the boys first raced at Blacktail. The Blacktail race, like others, require their racers to be at least 18 year old. But the brothers did what anyone who wanted to race would do — they registered under older brother Michael's name and switched clothes depending on which event was going on.

"We just wanted to see what we could do," Michael said about the first race.

The race at Blacktail seemed to be the event that got them hooked on hill climbing. Both brothers placed at the Blacktail race which was part of the Mountain States High Climb Association circuit.

After the Blacktail race the boys started to look beyond local races and started to race on the Rocky Mountain Snowmobile Hillclimb Association (RMSHA).

RMSHA racers travel around all the western states having races every weekend at different ski resorts or hills. The longest trip the brothers traveled on was the Brian Head in Utah. The trip was over 800 miles and also afforded them the chance to visit Las Vegas.

When the Crockett team travels they carry anywhere from three to five sleds depending on what type of races they will enter. Both Michael and Tyler say they like racing in the stock class because it's racing equal sleds.

"In stock it just comes down to the driver," said Michael.

After their first official year of racing the brothers were both invited to the Super Bowl of hill climbing, the Jackson Hole hill climb. At Jackson Hole the boys would get their chance to run head to head with some of the best in the world. The Jackson Hole race invites about 800 racers and draws close to 40,000 spectators. Both Tyler and Michael qualified at Jackson Hole. The brothers rounded out the sixth and seventh places in their heats — not too shabby, considering the competition.

"We didn't know what we were doing with our sleds, but we figured it out. Jackson Hole is wicked," Michael said.

This past winter the brothers got their chance to turn things around at Jackson Hole. The team is now racing Polaris sleds which they said held together better than the old brand they were racing.

During the season Tyler started winning and placing in more races. By the season's end this year he had won 11 races, which Tyler said is the most on the season for a single racer.

Besides winning 11 races on the season, Tyler was most excited about his performance at Jackson Hole. Tyler finished first in semi-pro improved stock, first in modified and third in stock.

"Those were my biggest wins on the season," said a smiling Tyler.

With the victories in Jackson Hole Tyler also got himself a couple of free Polaris racing sleds which he said will be really nice for next season. The brothers are also part of Team Polaris which is made up of about 25 racers from across the county.

During hill climbs the racers can reach speeds over 70 mph and wrecks can happen. Both Tyler and Michael say they are very thankful they have not had any major accidents during their career. Tyler said he did spin out one time going about 65 mph after hitting a slick spot on the hill. After spinning out and rolling down a hill and smacking a cat track he stopped, uninjured.

After this past season of racing Tyler is planning on making the jump to the pro field which has higher pay outs and a better field of riders. If Tyler places in the races like he did this season he could win around $35,000 in purse money, he said.

Tyler and Michael both said their biggest sponsor are their parents and Polaris. They also have a hand full of national and local companies that provide money and parts. It's not cheap traveling with three people, hotels, food, trailers and over $40,000 worth of gear.

During the season the boys were filmed riding for an extreme snowmobiling movie that is being filmed in Montana. During the summer the brothers plan to work for their father's company, Crockett Trucking and Excavating, and save money for next season. Michael and Tyler both graduated from Ronan High School.