El Matador was a Chevrolet Silverado monster truck created by Flame Motorsports in 2004 as a teammate to King Krunch. Flame owned the truck until 2018, when DRF Motorsports acquired the entire operation. The truck currently runs on and off for the team, as the alter-ego for Nitro Hornet and Southern Sass.
History[]
2004[]
El Matador made its debut in 2004 and was driven by Daron Basl as the teammate to King Krunch under Flame Motorsports. It runs on the former King Krunch chassis.
2008[]
The truck runs as Fiesta on the truck's chassis for the first and third Houston shows and a new paint job is debuted on the truck.
2009[]
The truck received a new Racesource chassis and Daron wins a major televised Monster Jam stadium show in St. Louis.
2010[]
Madusa is run on the El Matador chassis at World Finals XI.
2011[]
The truck debuts a new Ford Super Duty body late in the year. At some point, the truck would also run as Break the Chain.
2012[]
In January, the truck ran as The Rod Ryan Show in Houston.
In February, David Baldwin drives the truck in Portland, Oregon along with Daron, who would perform double duty, as he also drove Grave Digger that weekend.
2013[]
El Matador is shelved and replaced by Nitro Hornet.
2015[]
The truck is run as Monster Mutt Rottweiler for the More Monster Jam Tour, however, would finish 8th in the standings.
In May, the El Matador name was run in Salinas, and driven by Aaron Basl as Daron was driving Monster Mutt Rottweiler at said event.
2016[]
The chassis runs as Monster Mutt Rottweiler again on the rebranded Monster Jam AMSOIL Series East tour, however, would finish 8th again.
2017[]
The chassis runs as Monster Mutt Rottweiler for the final time on Triple Threat Series East and would finish 8th once again. Afterwards, Flame Motorsports stopped competing in Monster Jam.
2018[]
DRF Motorsports buys Flame Motorsports which included El Matador.
2019[]
The truck returns with a new body style and paint scheme.
In March, Preston Pérez drove the truck in Lufkin, Texas and Gonzales, Texas, before Ron Nelson and Miranda Riley began sharing driving duties of the truck.
The truck has been inactive since September 2019.
2025[]
In 2025, the truck would return in Monterrey, Mexico with Thomas Kimmons driving.
Trivia[]
- The truck's name is Spanish for “The Bullfighter”.
- El Matador's chassis was also used for many sponsor trucks, including Texas-based store Fiesta and Houston-based radio show Rod Ryan.
- The truck ran as Thrillbillies for a motocross stunt in Nitro Circus: The Movie 3D.
Gallery[]
