Greg Winchenbach describes his background this way: “Growing up in Maine, the only things to do were to play sports and to work on cars. I was always a car guy and I would drive anything with wheels—or even without wheels, as I became a big snowmobile guy. I started working in a local 4WD shop and started building up trucks, including my personal ride, a 1983 Chevy pickup. The truck was eventually featured in magazines like Petersen’s 4Wheel & Off-Road. Eventually the truck was too big and the local authorities didn’t want me driving it around town. 

I eventually came to a crossroads where I could either go snowmobile racing because that was big up here or I could try monster truck racing. I was always a big fan and went to the few shows we got up here. I had always watched monster truck competitions on television. After working on 4WD trucks, the idea of racing wasn’t too far-fetched. So over the years, I started crewing for whoever would have me, great guys like Jesse Birgy, Alan Tura, Todd Frolic, and others. I received opportunities to drive back in the mid-1990s, but eventually I had to move back home and do the regular job thing. So I built up my own auto repair shop, Mountain Road Repair, in my hometown and turned that into a successful business.

In 1999, I bought a brand-new Patrick chassis, but it ended up sitting in the corner of the shop for 10 years before I was able to really get to work and finish it. When we did, we sat down and were trying to think of something cool to call the truck. Being from Maine, all people ever associate you with is lobster; so we came up with the idea for Crushstation. Paying the bills to have that fiberglass body made, I wondered if I was crazy. And $50,000 later, I was pretty much broke. But it sure has gotten attention everywhere we’ve gone. So now, here I am, after finishing up my rookie season at 38 years old and becoming a rookie in Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam at the age of 39!”

Q&A with Greg Winchenbach

MonsterJam.com: How did you get started competing on the Monster Jam circuit?

Greg Winchenbach: We finished Crushstation in late 2009 and ran our first full season in 2010, working toward the eventual goal of running in a Monster Jam event. We are lucky enough to start our rookie season in Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam in 2011. We plan to run hard and to try to make a great impression so that we’ll be invited back for even more events in years to come.

MonsterJam.com: What do you enjoy doing while on the road with Monster Jam?

Greg Winchenbach: There are two things that come to mind in particular–the first one is having the chance to see all our friends in the industry, getting to spend time together and competing against one another, having a blast doing it. The second one is that we are from way up here in Maine; so it’s always great to see different parts of the country to see how people live and how things are different depending on where you go.

MonsterJam.com: What do you do with your free time?

Greg Winchenbach: With keeping the truck running and keeping our auto repair shop going, there isn’t much of that. What little I do get, I enjoy spending time with my family. And when I can, it’s also fun to get out and play horseshoes and softball in the nice weather and snowmobile in the winter.

MonsterJam.com: What is your greatest memory as a monster truck driver?

Greg Winchenbach: Back when I drove part-time in the mid-1990s I had the chance to race against Dennis Anderson in Orlando, Florida, and that was definitely a highlight. But I would also say, in our rookie season with Crushstation we did an event up here in Maine and that was the first time I ever got the chance to race in front of my family. My family has always put up with and supported my monster truck obsession, but they had never really seen me do anything more than crush some cars. That night, we won the wheelie contest and then marched through the brackets in racing against some good trucks, like Eradicator and Backdraft. I was able to take the win in the finals. My kids ran up to meet me when I came out of the truck and my mother was there. It was very emotional for me and it was so great to be able to win with all of them there.

MonsterJam.com: Do you have any pre-show rituals that you run though?

Greg Winchenbach: I wish I had a more interesting answer, but I’m not really superstitious or anything like that. I guess my only pre-show ritual is going over the truck as close as I can and trying to make sure we’re ready to run. We take the competition very seriously; so I always try to be as prepared as possible.

MonsterJam.com: If you were not competing on the Monster Jam tour, what career path would you follow?

Greg Winchenbach: I’m a racer and a gearhead at heart; so even if I wasn’t racing monster trucks, I’d probably still be working on cars for a living and racing something like snowmobiles the rest of the time.

MonsterJam.com: What’s your favorite food?

Greg Winchenbach: I guess lobster would be the obvious answer, but really, I’d have to say steak and shrimp.

MonsterJam.com: What’s your favorite movie?

Greg Winchenbach: Planes, Trains & Automobiles, a true classic with John Candy and Steve Martin. I love that movie.

MonsterJam.com: What’s your favorite television show?

Greg Winchenbach: Obviously, Monster Jam. But really, just about anything they show on SPEED Channel works. We don’t have a television down at the shop; because if we did, I’m sure we’d end up standing around watching SPEED and not getting our work done.

MonsterJam.com: What’s your favorite color?

Greg Winchenbach: Here’s another question where I feel like the obvious answer is probably RED because of the truck. But honestly, I’ve always liked green. I don’t really have a good reason why, I just always have. Now, if Red Lobster ever came calling…


TRUCK INFO

• Truck Name: Crushstation
• Body: Custom 3D Maine Lobster
• Chassis: Patrick Enterprises
• Engine size: 468 c.i. Chevrolet w/671 Blower
• Transmission: Custom Turbo 400 Automatic
• Shocks: Patrick Enterprises w/26” Travel


Sponsors: McLaughlin Seafood – They will deliver fresh-caught “Crushstation” Maine Live Lobsters right to your door, ready to cook! Visit www.McLaughlinSeafood.com to order.