Crushstation is a custom lobster monster truck owned & driven by Greg Winchenbach of Bottom Feeder Motorsports out of Jefferson, Maine. Since its debut in 2009, the truck has become a fan favorite for its unique design, as well as Winchenbach's wild driving style. The truck has also been a staple of various monster truck leagues, including Monster Truck Throwdown and Monster Jam, where the truck has respectively won two championships back-to-back, and competed in two Young Guns Shootout competitions in the Monster Jam World Finals. Starting in 2022, Greg's son Zack started driving the truck.
History[]
In 1999, Greg Wincenbach acquired a PEI chassis from Dan Patrick. However, due to Winchenbach’s busy schedule, the chassis would be stored in his garage for several years until 2008, when construction on Crushstation began. Construction on the truck continued until 2009, when it was completed and would debut late that summer. At the time of its debut, the truck was primarily used as an exhibition truck but would compete in select shows. The truck would later begin competing in Monster Jam the following year.
In 2013, Crushstation would be invited to compete in the Young Guns Shootout at Monster Jam World Finals XIV. Winchenbach and truck were again invited to compete in the Young Guns Shootout the following year, at Monster Jam World Finals XV. Later that year, a blue variant of Crushstation was unveiled, which competed exclusively in events held in the team’s home state of Maine.
In 2015, Crushstation won its first Monster Truck Throwdown championship. Winchenbach and the truck would win another championship in the tour the following year. In Detroit, the truck did a wheelie in freestyle, clipped another small ramp & did 2 forward rolls & landed in the dumpster & on Storm Damage at the end of the track.
In 2016, for the Monster Jam debut of the blue body, the truck clipped the edge of the arena obstacle in freestyle at the XL center in Hartford CT, did forward roll & landed upright in-between Instigator & Backdraft. Instigator suffered minor damage.
Following multiple disagreements with FELD Entertainment (the promoter of Monster Jam), Bottom Feeder Motorsports dropped out of the Monster Jam circuit and began competing in other tours, including Monster Truck Throwdown. Meanwhile, Winchenbach and Crushstation would win the 2018 Traxxas Monster Truck Destruction championship. That same year, a leaf spring chassis was constructed for use exclusively in display exhibitions. In Dinwiddie, Kurt Phillips drove the truck.
2019 marked Crushstation’s 10th anniversary. To celebrate, the truck received a new paint scheme, based on a raw lobster, which was dubbed Crushstation Raw. In 2020, Chris Sawicki drove the truck in Leisle, New York. Meanwhile, a new chassis was constructed for the truck the following year, which began competition the year after. The previous chassis is converted into Lumberjack.
In 2022, Greg's son Zach drove the truck for Monster Truck Throwdown's event in Mt. Pleasant Michigan and at West Lebanon and beyond. For the Benson events, Matt Pagliarulo would drive the truck.
2010 incident[]
Announcer gets hit by monster truck.MOV
Video of the incident.
At a monster truck show in 2010, Crushstation was involved in an accident after running over one of the hosts, Ken Dickenson. Dickenson only suffered a broken pelvis in the accident and eventually made a full recovery.
World Finals appearances[]
- 2013 - Greg Winchenbach (Young Guns Shootout only)
- 2014 - Greg Winchenbach (Young Guns Shootout only)
Video game appearances[]
List of Crushstation designs[]
- Red - The classic Crushstation body ran at most shows. It has been run on the truck since its debut in 2009.
- Blue - A blue variant of the truck, it debuted in 2014. It has mainly competed at shows in Greg’s home state of Maine, but it was run for a few shows in the summer of 2019 for Crushstations 10th anniversary. This body was most notably known for having a curse whenever it was run.
- 10th Anniversary/RAW - Based on a raw lobster, ran only for Crushstation's 10th anniversary. It debuted in 2019 and has since been retired.
Trivia[]
- The blue lobster design of Crushstation is derived from the fact that blue lobsters do exist in real life, but are rare. It may also be derived from the fact that lobsters, unlike most organisms, and like snails and spiders, have blue blood, not red blood. This is due to the presence of hemocyanin, which contains copper. This body has been kept to only New England shows and had a "curse" on it since it's debut usually ending in catastrophic failure. However, Greg brought the body out of New England to Mt. Pleasant, Michigan for Monster Truck Madness 9 where the curse would ultimately be broken.
Blue lobsters like this one are what Crushstation's blue body is derived from.
- Although Crushstation no longer competes in Monster Jam, the league’s toy contractors still produce diecasts of the truck and Spin Master still made a diecast of the truck after taking over the Monster Jam license from Hot Wheels.
- During some shows, Winchenbach's dog is present at the pit party and can often be found mingling with the fans or sleeping in the rims of the truck.
- The current chassis Crushstation uses was originally planned to debut in 2020 but would be delayed until the following year for unknown reasons.
- The Captain Crusty decal was made by Glenn Chadbourne, Stephen King's artist.
Gallery[]
Main gallery[]
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Merchandise gallery[]
