Lea Martinez Foundation » Interview

Motorcycle Drag Racer, Motivational Speaker, Cancer Survivor

leam — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 05:29:28 +0000

Browse Google for “female motorcycle drag racers” and the top article is a scanned newspaper article from 1969. Deduction: There aren’t a lot of them. After all, who’s crazy enough to launch themselves down a concrete runway at 165 mph, right next to another lunatic crazy enough to do the same thing? Oh yeah – Lea Martinez.

“I’ve made it my mission to raise money and awareness for those out there dealing with the same or similar issues. I just want to be able to help, it may not be much but the little things sometimes mean the most, become a partner today.”

First glance will tell you that Lea is crazy. Pink blouse, pink shoes, pink & chrome chain link earrings accented with a matching pink and chrome chain link bracelet. The girl is crazy about pink, crazy about drag racing, and crazy about educating the world about her fight against breast cancer. But after spending an hour or two with Lea, you realize that there is nothing crazy about her. She’s actually calculatingly passionate. Read more…

- FREEDOMCYCLEONLINE.COM

WOMEN’S WORLD

leam — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 04:59:55 +0000

There is a very cool woman that has inspired many people that cross her path. Is she’s not our on the drag strip racing her Hayabusa, she’s out and about promoting the importance of breast cancer research. Lea Martinez is a name I will not forget, nor will you. She’s a cancer survivor and a remarkable human being!

So, how did you get involved in motorcycling, Lea? Read more…

- BORNTORIDE.COM

Lea “Dream Catcher” Martinez | A true fighter on and off the track

leam — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 04:28:56 +0000

Racing is in Lea’s blood. Her father used to race pro stock cars and her brother and my step sister raced motorcycles. So it was only natural to catch the fever for racing. Her goal is to turn pro with pink ribbons a’blazing. Not only is she a drag racer, she is a SURVIVOR!

Unlike others in the industry, Lea didn’t begin riding until she was 37. However, she quickly up made for lost time and within a mere six months she was learning how to drag race.That was five years ago. In 2009 she was diagnosed with ductal carcinomaI (the most common type of breast cancer) ending her reconstructive surgeries in September of 2010. She along with her 2007 Suzuki Hayabusa have been racing, fighting and raising awareness steadfastly ever since. Check out the interview…

- THROTTLELIFE.COM

Beautiful Bikers | The Art of Dream Catching

leam — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 03:44:59 +0000

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…