Demolition Derby is Family Affair
By Lorinda Jarvis
Andrew Vitale admits it: He’s a little addicted. That smile spreads, and his hands sweep in the direction of a bright purple 2000 Toyota Camry, the word “MAFIA” spray-painted in black and blue on its side.
The Camry and one other Vitale vehicle will be entered to win prize money in the annual Demolition Derby, the final and enormously popular feature of the weeklong Cumberland County Fair, an annual rite of summer held at the Carmel Road Fairgrounds during the first week of July. This year’s fair will be held from Tuesday, July 8 to Saturday, July 12.
Vitale (and his wife, Brandi, and all three of his young sons) are heavily involved in all things derby, including filming it for his TikTok channel (dirtroadmafia11x) and Facebook page (MAFIA TV).
“The appeal of Demolition Derby is basically just the thrill, the excitement of completing something and being able to pull into the arena and smash into everything possible,” he said.
The Cumberland County Demolition Derby fills the grandstand and gets fans on their seats for Hulk-smash action. The whole thing seems simple to outsiders: Fix up a beater, and run it till everyone else’s beater in the arena stops moving or can’t continue.
Vitale, who works for an emergency medical transport company, learned to love it from his father, who learned it from his father. Derby runs deep in the Vitale world. In a few weeks, he will watch his own wife jump into the Mafia car and try to take down the competition.
Vitale and his wife create content for multiple events, and travel around the country to various derbies with their children, Austin, 14, Mason, 12 and Hunter, 9.
His oldest son competed in his first derby in a compact car when he was 12 in out-of-state events held for youth. Jersey is not one of the states that allows derby events for kids, while states like Pennsylvania and New York do.
“We had to travel 6.5 hours for him to run,” he said. “It’s a lifestyle for me.”
For derby fans, the true thrill comes with good driving, what Vitale calls the “art of the build” and bragging rights going forward.
But Derby isn’t the same as it was when Andrew was as young as his kids.
“It has changed. It really has. We’re kind of a dying breed around here,” he said.
The problem, he said, is the lack of cars, and fewer people who are taking the time to build up the cars they are entering.
Here’s the hard truth for Derby lovers: It costs thousands to purchase a car, buy all the parts for the engine, the suspension, tires, the transmission and the safety cage inside the car that keeps the driver safe—known as “the halo.”
It all adds up quickly, and the top prize—even if you do win—is $1,200 for full-sized cars or $800 for compact cars. Win or lose, the car is smashed up and the costly rebuild must begin again.
For example, Brandi Vitale’s 2000 Camry cost $500, and an additional $1,200 just for parts alone. Enter it in one derby, just one, and you are often back to the drawing board, replacing and purchasing parts to get it to run again and beat the other guy’s entry.
This year, Andrew will be strictly a behind-the-scenes guy. That’s because of unforeseen costs and complications that left him unable to make the necessary repairs to enter his 1972 LTD into the much-anticipated full-sized derby competition this year.
That car cost $1,200 to buy and much more for the necessary equipment. “You’re looking at about $3,500 right there. The money’s getting spent like on race cars.”
But Andrew’s wife, Brandi, is looking forward to driving this year.
And she’s a force to be reckoned with, winning third place last year, and taking home the prized “mad dog” flag that marked her as the most aggressive driver in the derby.
One thing that has fans like Vitale worried is the dwindling number of entries in Cumberland County’s derby. The number of people entering the competition has dropped precipitously since Vitale was a kid.
It’s understandable, for at least two basic reasons: It’s expensive. And it’s dangerous. Very.
“There’s the risk of fire. And there’s the risk that it will blow up. There’s also the fact that you don’t see a hit coming at you and you pay that price—whiplash.”
Andrew’s grandpop worked on Derby cars locally. For Andrew, derby love started early—very early.
“As soon as I was in my mom’s stomach, that was my first derby, as I count it,” he said.
Later on, he would stay at his dad’s house during the summer.
“We would go to derby, go on vacation, and then go to derby again—all in one week. “Those are some of my fondest memories. Frankly, I am trying to keep the derby alive for my kids as well.”
He has 15,000 followers on TikTok, and another 8,000 on his MAFIA TV page. He said he built his first derby car 13 years ago, when his oldest son was a baby.
“This is my passion. And it’s slowly becoming my wife’s passion and my kids’ passion.”
He’s proud that his wife will be carrying the family flag into the county derby this year. He IS proud. You bet. Except?
“There’s an itch. I really wanted to get that car (his 1972 LTD) together. The amount of money and time (getting it ready) prevented it.”
That’s okay. Vitale will be staying busy for the next few months, booked to shoot video of various derbies within about six hours of his Port Norris home. He sets up GoPros inside cars of his family and friends, then raffles off the opportunity to have a camera set up inside other participants’ cars. He then puts it out on his social media accounts, where derby fans can see that moment when one car hammers another.
Derby drivers like to watch their videos to learn from their mistakes. They also can get THAT moment on film, priceless for Derby junkies like Andrew and his family.
Vitale recently installed a camera on a derby car’s radiator, “so it could catch that (car’s) bumper hitting a car in front of them.”
Vitale takes a deep breath and takes it all in. “I find beauty in the destruction,” he said. “It’s that one moment that nobody got that everyone is dying to get.”
Vitale, 36, says the younger generation doesn’t exactly share his view of all that beauty.
“There are not that many derby influencers in our area. People don’t see the art of it.”
Vitale thinks something more devastating is at work: “The derby is dying in Cumberland County.”
“There’s the lack of interest and the price of materials and cars,” he said. Younger generations are not getting it.”
Older Derby guys are off of it because of injuries and the cost, he said.
Another truth: “We’re not getting paid what we’re putting into it.”
Vitale has sunk thousands into his 1972 Ford LTD. The $1,200 prize money won’t keep it running.
“I’m trying to keep our fair alive. I want to run with my kids at the Cumberland County derby. At the end of the day, there are memories you can’t take away.
Vitale says all the kids help him.
“I enjoy spending the day with them. They just have a passion for it. It’s a beautiful thing.”
He wants to see the boys carry on the Vitale family legacy.
“Until then, we’re enjoying it and having the time of our lives, making memories,” he said.
DEMOLITION DERBY ENTRIES: Want to join the smash-em-up fun? Registration is still open for residents who want to join the Demolition Derby, scheduled for 7 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, July 12. Driver and pit crews are $30 per person, and car registrations are $20 per heat. Cash prizes will be awarded to winners as well as runner-up and third place.
The derby has three categories: Full-sized cars, with first-place prize of $1,000; $400 for runner-up position, and $100 for third-place winners. This category features large, often older full-sized automobiles, usually big sedans from the 1970s and 80s. 80s chain and bang, an entry-level derby class.
This old-school, beginner class features bare-bones cars that often have their doors chained or wired shut. Prizes are also $1,000 for first, $400 for second and $100 for third place.
Compact cars: This class features smaller, more agile cars that make the action faster and more unpredictable. This is a more competitive class that allows different modifications.
Pits will open at noon and close at 6 p.m. A $5 entry into the fair, and a $10 separate derby admission fee is required.
Full list of derby rules from J & J Demolition Derbies can be found on the website, jandjdemo.com/. Sign up on the day of the derby with your car, which will need to be inspected.
