Thomas Edison once said, “If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.” This cannot be more evident in the accomplishments of drag-racer Lea “Dreamcatcher” Martinez, of Tampa, FL. This dynamo dragster has racing in her blood, as the daughter of a Pro stock-car racer. Born in 1967, Lea is a native of New York where she lived most of her life.
In 2004, she relocated to Florida and met her future husband, Victor Martinez, an avid motorcyclist. Victor and his friends taught her the basics, and within a year Lea was racing down her first quarter-mile track. Her racing career was off to a promising start when, in 2009, Lea was diagnosed with breast cancer. Fortunately, the cancer was detected early. After taking a year off for treatment and reconstructive surgery following a double mastectomy, she is now in remission, back on the track and raring to go.
Lea has since won multiple races as “Fastest Female”, including a first place title in the 2010 “Second Pistons vs. Rotors Race”. In March 2010, she was the money winner in the “Full Throttle Customs Bike Bash”. Her most recent appearance was July 23-24 in the Mirock Superbike Series at the Maryland International Raceway, and we caught up with her shortly afterwards for this interview. Read more…