Brad DeBerti: Dream Big or Go Home

You know him as motorsport prodigy extraordinaire, an anomaly that defies all odds in the racing circuit—2015 Pro-Lite Rookie of the Year award, 2016 Pro-Lite Champion, and 2018 NASCAR State Rookie of the Year—recipient of the 2016, 2017, and 2018 SEMA Young Gun Award, two-time participant in SEMA Battle of the Builders, and co-host on Discovery Channel’s Twin Turbos. At 24 years young, and only in his third year of competition, Brad DeBerti is one for the history books.

With a late start, he may be considered an old timer in the world of competitive racing, but he proves without a shadow of a doubt that you can teach an old dog new tricks.

Three years ago, we saw an off-road truck commercial on TV. This truck was flying through the air, and we were like, ‘What the heck is that?‘ Two days later, there was a race in Arizona, and we went to watch. It was insane walking through the pits and seeing everyone and the trucks. While we were there, we put a deposit on a truck that was for sale … We’ve never done anything like this, so we’d just go to the track and practice. Then we jumped into a few beginner races to get a flavor, and then jumped into the national series, and my first two races I won in the Pro-Lite Class. It’s the most competitive class, and it was a very competitive time as well. You had to qualify to race in a 32-truck field. — Hot Rod Network

It doesn’t matter whether he’s slaying it off-road or on asphalt, “I’ll get out of my ride and do a demo in the drift truck, then go hop back into the car and race,” he laughs. “These kids that have been primed for NASCAR series since the time they were in diapers are like, ‘Wait, how do you do that?’ I’m like do what?! I look at it like this: it’s just two different helmets,” he says with humble confidence. “The cool part about racing in its purest form is this: if a sponsor called tomorrow and asked me to build or race, I don’t care what it is. Any and all forms of racing or building, I feel as if anything is game,” he explains.

Ambitious Spirit

As kids, we all fantasize about our future. Some grow up to be the surgeons and lawyers they always wanted to be, overcoming any obstacles that interfere with such an aspiration. But in reality, the percentage of people who have what it takes to chase a dream as big as DeBerti’s is few and far between.

With an intrinsic passion, natural affinity, and proven track record in off-road racing, Brad DeBerti now has his sights set on grandeur success with the NASCAR organization. To do so, he’ll be leaning on tremendous talent and intelligence, wisdom beyond his years, willpower to succeed, and an admirable support system. 

Proper Work Ethic Starts at Home

Basically born with a welder in his hands, DeBerti was raised on a healthy dose of hard work. “I’ve been in the shop since I can remember—innovating, welding, and fabricating parts at a super young age,” he says. “I was raised old school—never just handed anything in life. If me or my brother wanted something, then Dad had us in the shop, encouraging us to work for it or make it ourselves,” he explains.

Not one for sitting in front of the tube or wasting away with video games as a kid, it’s clear that father, mentor, and co-host on Twin Turbos, Doug DeBerti, instilled the value of time well spent at an early age. “He was a firm believer that to be good at something—really good at something—it takes an incredible amount of hard work,” says junior. To accomplish a dream takes equal parts heart, grit, and practice. And what does practice take? Time.

It’s the one thing we never have enough of and something precious we can never get back.

“I was riding upwards of six hours per day at a young age,” recalls DeBerti. “I couldn’t even reach the pedals. Dad made me about a foot and a half booster seat just so I could drive,” he smiles. That competitive spirit is innate in DeBerti, and his father knew it. “If me or my brother weren’t good at something, it was recognized. Cool to have fun with it, though it wasn’t identified as a talent. But when I got into something motorized, he pushed me to my limits in a positive way because he knew I had it—he believed in me,” states DeBerti.

Inspirational Influence

Bright, insightful, and gracious, time well spent remains one of DeBerti’s main priorities. It’s evident in his drive to succeed on the motorsport scene, inspiring the next generation of racing fans. It’s evident in the quality craftsmanship of his custom automotive designs and professional builds. And it’s evident in his support of both grassroots events like MuscleKingz and organizations like SEMA.

At just 24 years old, Brad DeBerti is more than an accomplished racer, designer, builder, and co-host—he’s an industry influencer, whether through social media, industry involvement, or automotive design. He makes things happen and influences positive outcomes—with righteous intention in his heart and a smile on his face.

With over a quarter million followers on Instagram, a show aired worldwide, and a video game featuring his drift truck, the status and notoriety associated with his profession admittedly remains a “pinch me” experience for DeBerti. But, he stays grounded by being visible at the fan and enthusiast level as well as volunteering his time and talents for the greater good.

In the candid one-on-one interview below, get to know the man behind the success—someone chasing his dreams, not the accolades. A true young gun, force of nature, and positive role model.

Q&A with a Legend in the Making

Q: Who or what has inspired or motivated you?

A: “Hands down, my dad. He represents everything I look up to. Obviously, I’ve gained inspirations from other people in racing,” says DeBerti, who’s had the privilege of being mentored by big names like Brian Deegan and Joey Logano, “but my family is why I have succeeded in a lot of things,” he reiterates.

What junior finds even more admirable, is that his father has served as an inspiration to so many other kids as well. “I’d bring my dad into school for career day and would watch him ignite our entire class as he’d explain how you can sketch something out, make it, and sell it,” remembers DeBerti, who says that it was special to witness others his age light up at the idea of such a career path.

Authentic leadership in his personal life is exactly why “I look up to leaders who are real people, not those putting on a show, cussing up a storm, or acting like they’re better than everyone else,” he affirms. “My form of leadership, and what I strive to portray, is hard work. There are lot of distractions in life—you need goals and good role models. If these kids put their minds to it, they can make it happen,” he says.

Q: Fortunate to grow up alongside a master of his craft, how has your father influenced your career as an automotive designer?

A: “My dad always built crazy stuff. Today, our way is: if it’s already out there, then we’re probably not going to build it,” he laughs. “We never like designing or building what everyone else has,” he adds. Instead, they opt for what DeBerti calls hype vehicles. “Love it or hate it—either way you’re looking at it,” he explains. 

Q: What’s the creative process like for you?

A: “Most professionals in our industry are big on renderings. This is the plan and you set out to build according to the plan. We’re never going to strictly follow a rendering because we don’t conform to a picture—the build is in our minds. So, renderings are hard for us because our projects, quite literally, can change by the day,” says DeBerti.

For example, “My dad and I may spend two weeks on a truck, stand back, and—if we don’t like it—we’ll cut up whatever we just did and lose two weeks worth of work,” he states very matter-of-factly. “It irritates a lot of people who work with us. But if it doesn’t flow, then it has no place in the final build,” he believes. “There’s very few professional builders, I think, who have the guts to stand back, hate it, and allow themselves to can it because starting over is the right thing to do. Those who collaborate with us understand that’s the way we operate.”

Q: You have 17,000 Facebook and 315,000 Instagram followers hanging on every word you say. Talk about the responsibility that comes with that kind of influence?

A: For DeBerti, social media serves as a platform of inspiration. “I’m inspired by absolutely everything. If I’m looking for ideas, I’ll hop on, look at import stuff, classic cars, trucks, etc. and get ideas just from the comments people post,” he says. Unlike many professional profiles, DeBerti operates his own account and takes pride in answering as many of the comments and questions as he can. “I’m big on engaging with my fans. Their input very well could affect the way we’re approaching a build at the time. They really make me think things through,” he adds.

As a way to give back to his fans, DeBerti recently started a giveaway program through social media. “Twice a month, we’ll be giving away free, donated product to our fan base,” he says. “All you have to do is follow who I’m following, and you can have a chance to win big!”

Q: As a marketable personality—from designing, building, racing, running Twin Turbos, and maintaining a home life—how do you balance it all?

A: “I don’t know how I balance everything, honestly,” he laughs, “but, you know, we kinda just live life on the fly.”

“Whatever is in our way, we do what we have to do to make it happen. And, really, our perspective is that we’ll do what’s best for our brand and partners, so we remain kind of flexible and just go with the flow,” explains DeBerti. “We’re so determined in every little thing we do, whether it’s perfecting a build, racing skills, or show content. Since there’s so much going on at all times, it’s kind of easy to stay focused because there’s always something new and interesting happening, if that makes sense.”

Q: Of all the things you’re involved in—if you had to pick just one, what would it be and why?

A: “I love everything we do, so that’s a really hard question. But to choose one, I’d have to say the show because on there at least I can do everything—design, build, engage with fans, and race,” he explains.

Q: As an active supporter of SEMA and recipient of the Young Guns Award—actually, as the youngest participant to be named to the Battle of the Builders and receive three Young Guns honors—how are you, and others like you, helping to inspire the next youth movement in the industry? How are you motivating new enthusiasts to join the cause?

A: “SEMA is there to ensure we can all do what we love—build. If SEMA wasn’t there, we wouldn’t be able to do anything to a vehicle. They strive to keep the aftermarket alive,” explains DeBerti. “It’s awesome that they’ve come up with a program that recognizes and encourages young kids and their talent, and it’s equally great to be part of something special like Battle of the Builders. When it first started, there were very few, and those select few were the biggest car builders across the industry,” he says.

Having different categories encourages confidence among younger generations to get involved and showcase their skills. “I actually enjoy talking with fellow young builders to learn about their style and influences as much as I love seeing the builds themselves,” adds DeBerti.

Q: With the push for electrification and autonomous tech, we see an increased number of younger generations that don’t want to drive. As an industry professional, a builder, a driver, and an enthusiast—how do you feel about this?

A: He admits the shift is maddening. “Just making it electric, you’re taking out a number of aftermarket modifications,” says DeBerti. “I don’t know if I’ll see the day when traditional engines are gone, but at some point, all builders will have to change how they do things. We’ll have to evolve (just like generations before us),” he adds. Fortunately for DeBerti, “I’m inspired by everything—I may like or dislike certain things, but everything inspires me in some way, so I can always find a happy medium.”

Q: What are your plans to continue inspiring at the grassroots level?

A: “Being real and authentic is important to me. We’re expanding into the concert/car show scene with appearances at MuscleKingz. And whatever town we’re visiting, we’ll be sure to make stops at local middle and high schools to talk with the kids. We’re all about mentoring—encouraging these kids to put down the phones and spend more time creating.”

And to think they say, “Youth is wasted on the young.” We say, take a closer look.

As the industry faces innumerable challenges in the years to come—politics, changing global trends, the potential death of the combustion engine—we need forward-thinking, sure-footed, nimble professionals to ensure its survival. Professionals like Brad DeBerti, who with an upbeat perspective and can-do attitude seemingly can do it all.