Crockett Prepping New Single-Engine Shootout Rocket For 2025

It’s been three years since Tyler Crockett has competed at the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout in Central Missouri. But those on hand for the 2021 will not forget his last performance on the three-quarter-mile course in late-August 2021 when the joyful maniac from Ruby City, Mich., drove his open single-engine 28-foot V-bottom to 132 mph and into the Shootout record-books.

Tyler Crockett plans to rig his new Shootout boat, which currently is at Lilly Sport Boats in Arnold, Md., next winter.

Despite his best plans and intentions, Crockett has not returned to the event since. His high-performance marine engine-building business has kept him too busy. And he won’t compete in this year’s top-speed event, which is set for August 24-25. But this time around, he has the best of reasons.

Crockett is replacing his open-cockpit 28-foot Joker V-bottom with a canopied 32-foot Phantom that once ran as Visit St. Pete in the Mod V class. Crockett purchased the boat earlier this year from Jorge Arellano, who had eight such 32-footers built by Phantom’s Will Smith a few years ago. In March, Crockett dropped it off for canopy and transom work with Super Cat and Class 1 racer Brit Lilly at Lilly Sport Boats in Arnold, Md.

The LSB team blueprinted the 32-footer’s hull.

The 32-footer should be ready for pick-up next week.

“But I don’t think I’m going to have enough time to get it rigged and tested where I’ll feel comfortable bringing it to the Shootout,” Crockett said.

A closer look at the bilge work handled by Lilly and his team.

A boat-builder in his own right, Lilly made significant structural and cosmetic changes to Crockett’s new thrill-machine.

“We cut out the entire cockpit and strengthened everything up,” he explained. “We replaced it with an Extreme cockpit to give Tyler him more room and a better setup for a single driver. We blueprinted the bottom and painted the entire boat. We also cut all the holes in the transom and mounted everything so she can go back to Tyler for rigging.”

The last time Crockett competed in the Lake of the Ozarks he reached 132 mph in his 26-foot V-bottom.

To that end, Crockett said he purchased a blueprinted No. 6 drive from Tyler Miller and that the Monster Energy/M CON team-owner gave him “a really good deal.” He also has a new crash-box for the boat courtesy of the Dirty Money team, which he did engine work for in the off-season.

“And Bob Teague of Teague Custom Marine is building me a special water-pickup,” he said.

Crockett said he plans to power the boat with a 4,000-hp Pro-Charged engine. Though the 32-footer would—with spec power installed—be race-ready for the Mod V class, that isn’t going to happen, according to its owner.