Galfer Rider Patricia Fernandez is an avid motorcycle racer who has competed around the world. We caught up with Patricia to ask her about her plans for 2022 and her experience running Galfer USA on her bikes. You can follow her on Instagram at @lady_racer926.
I do not come from a racing family or background of any kind. When I told my parents I wanted to ride a motorcycle, they reacted the way most parents did, they told me when I moved out I could get one. So I did just that. I moved out and my first loan I ever applied for was to get a used motorcycle. I took an MSF class to get my license and have been addicted since. I did my first trackday on April 10, 2010 and I was immediately in love. I started doing amateur club races and ended up winning a bunch of championships. I went expert and won more championships, then I tried to qualify for my first pro race at New Jersey in 2012. I cried like a baby and was terrified, but I QUALIFIED! I went full pro in 2013 racing Supersport and have kept at it ever since. I’ve raced Superport, Supertock 1000, and Superbike. I’ve raced in the U.S., Mexico, Australia, and Northern Ireland. My attitude is “I’ll try and race anything at least twice!”
This year I’m competing in the MotoAmerica ‘King of the Baggers’ series on an Indian Challenger. I am the first and only female who has ever raced a bagger in ANY series. I’m also competing in the Roland Sands Super Hooligan series on an Indian FTR 1200. I’m racing internationally on the ‘Real Roads’ in Northern Ireland at the Northwest 200 and Ulster GP, where I currently hold the fastest female lap record. Also we plan to compete in club races and Bagger Racing League events too. My win last year on the Indian FTR-1200 with Bagger Racing League made me the F/S Cup Champion. I’m now the first ever female to win a race and a championship with Bagger Racing League. I’ll be competing with the #1 plate and plan on defending that title ferociously.
This is my first year with a professional relationship with Galfer USA, but I have raced using Galfer products many times. In order to go fast, you have to be able to stop fast, too. You build your speed with your confidence, and I’ve always felt confident I could stop using Galfer rotors and brake pads. That trust allows me to continue pushing my brake markers and pass other racers on the brakes! Seeing the look on men’s faces when they just got passed by a woman is one of the most satisfying experiences I’ve ever felt. I plan on continuing to educate others on what it means to “ride like a girl.”
I’m a big advocate for women in Motorsports and work with multiple female-owned companies, and many events to promote women riders. I’m so incredibly proud to be the first woman doing what I love, but I’m happiest knowing I won’t be the last. There are many talented ladies of all-ages out there that are capable of racing too. I hope to encourage others to follow their dreams and start their journey. I look forward to the day when so many women are racing they have their own series.