Self-proclaimed “momager” Amy Breitkreitz had a full schedule on June 5, the most important task being assisting her son at the track as he licensed his car for the upcoming racing season at Tucson Dragway.
Breitkreitz had one final stop before she headed to the track.
“I went and got my mammogram and hurried down there so I could be there for everything,” Breitkreitz said. “Two weeks later, they called and said there was an abnormality and I’d need to do another one.”
Breitkreitz, 44, underwent a biopsy and then a lumpectomy to see if the mass discovered in June was cancerous. A week later, doctors diagnosed her with Stage 1 ductal carcinoma in situ, a particularly invasive– but highly curable– type of cancer.
The single mom, who was used to handling everything on her own, knew she had a battle ahead of her. She had no idea how much her track family would help.
Pink boxing gloves hang at the Tucson Dragway in honor of track chaplain Amy Breitkreitz’s battle with breast cancer.
‘Overwhelming in a good way’
Breitkreitz has been involved with drag racing her entire life, first with her father and now her son.
Tripp, now 16, started racing Big Wheels when he was 3 before graduating to the Junior Dragster ranks when he was 8. Tripp then moved to the Junior Street ranks, aging out last year. He had his share of success the junior division, winning two track championships.
“I’ve always been his ‘momager,’” Breitkreitz said.
In 2017, Breitkreitz — who said faith has always been an important part of her life — began volunteering as a chaplain for Racers with Christ. Breitkreitz holds nondenominational chapel services at the dragway on the weekends and prays with racers in lanes. Because of their schedules, many racers and their families find it difficult to establish a home church outside of the track.
“These people become your family,” she said. “They’re your friends first, and then they become your family.”
Breitkreitz said that when her father died unexpectedly in 2018, the dragway community surrounded her and Tripp with love and support.
That’s part of what made it an easy decision for Breitkreitz to share her diagnosis and treatment plan with her friends from the track.
“All of these people are my family and it’s the easiest way to share information in that sense,” she said. “The intention is to bring awareness.”
Breitkreitz has been subject to yearly mammograms because of her family history, and has undergone four lumpectomies in the last 20 years. Breitkreitz was given options for chemotherapy and radiation, but doctors said the cancer would be back in six months even with treatment.
She knew more than anybody just how devastating breast cancer could be. Her aunt underwent a double mastectomy last year after being diagnosed with a Stage 4 version of the disease.
“My doctor told me, ‘In three years you’ll come see me and I’ll tell you that you need to make final arrangements,’” Breitkreitz said. “There was no question in my mind what I needed to do. I learned from (my aunt) and said ‘I’m not going to go through this four or five times.’”
On Nov. 10, Breitkreitz underwent a double mastectomy of her own. She was in and out of the hospital in under six hours, keeping her friends and family informed via Facebook.
“Social media is such a positive thing and such a devil at the same time, too,” she said
In this situation, it’s been all positive. After learning about her diagnosis, dragway racers created a hashtag, #AmyStrong, and changed their profile photos to pictures of breast cancer awareness ribbons.
The day of her surgery, track officials posted a picture of a pair of pink boxing gloves on Facebook. They hang at the dragway as a reminder of Breitkreitz’s fight. Track manager Matt DeYoung, along with other staffers and racers, posted photos of themselves wearing pink in honor of their friend.
“The support was like nothing I’ve ever experienced,” Breitkreitz said, her voice breaking. “It was overwhelming in a good way. I’m so extremely blessed.”
Her friends began volunteering for a “meal train.” Those who couldn’t bring food sent along gift cards and money for delivery.
Breitkreitz was supposed to miss six weeks of work. She was back at her job as a human resources manager in three.
“What choice did I have?” she asked. “Who’s going to pay my bills?”
Breitkreitz has insurance, but her medical bills mounted anyway — including one for $12,000 for using an out-of-network surgical assistant.
Amy Breitkreitz, left, poses with her son Tripp. Breitkreitz is a chaplain at the Tucson Dragway and was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, after which her racing family banded together in support.
‘It just kept adding up’
While Breitkreitz was recovering from her surgery, Kerry Cowen and other racing team leaders were planning a benefit race for their friend.
The group zeroed in on the annual Hangover Nationals Race over New Year’s weekend. Half of the proceeds from the $40 entry fees were earmarked for Breitkreitz, and organizers estimated that they could give her $2,000.
But two weeks before the race, the county pulled the plug on large gatherings and the event was off. So was the annual raffle that accompanied the Hanover race each year, with winners being chosen at a bonfire at the event.
Cowen piled the prizes, including tools, racing equipment and supplies, into her extra bedroom.
Soon, a second fundraiser was hatched. Instead of paying the team fund back for the prizes, as they’ve done in previous years, officials decided to give all the raffle money to Breitkreitz. The raffle was held virtually, something that Cowen said was “really challenging.”
“I was thinking if we made $1,700, I would be shocked,” she said. “But every day, people just kept buying tickets. It just kept adding up. I was really moved.”
Many racers purchased more than one set of tickets or convinced friends and neighbors unaffiliated with the track to purchase their own. Track owner Jim Hughes bought 200 tickets, which allowed Cowen to purchase a second practice tree — the most popular item — for the prize pool.
The final morning of the raffle, organizers had raised $4,295 to help Breitkreitz. Then a racer called Cowen and said he wanted to purchase enough tickets to make the dollar amount an even $5,000. Another $575 was raised throughout the day.
With her husband’s help, Cowen filled out and tore a total of 8,336 raffle tickets. At 7 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, she put them into coffee cans, dumped the cans into a bowl and drew the winning tickets. The raffle was broadcast on Facebook Live.
“I feel really fortunate that everything came together the way it did and everyone was really happy with the way it came out. I know this won’t cover everything, but it’ll help,” Cowen said. “I’m happy for (Amy) and ready to go racing and see her back at the track.”
Last Saturday, Breitkreitz was presented with a check for $5,570 from the annual Tucson Dragway Hangover Nationals Raffle.
“It was so much more than we expected,” Cowen said. “But it just shows how much our racing community is like a family.”
Breitkreitz says the prayer and support she’s received is “divine intervention.”
“It’s just been amazing. I don’t even have words for it,” she said, adding, “You take care of your family.”
The raffle to benefit track chaplain Amy Breitkreitz sold 8,336 tickets, raising more than $5,500 for Breitkreitz.
‘Something good has come out of this’
Breitkreitz hopes that her story reminds people that breast cancer can strike anyone at any time, whether they have a family history or not.
“You have to advocate for your friends and family and yourself,” she said. “Something good has come out of this — not just for me, but for everyone.”
Breitkreitz said multiple women from the track have thanked her for sharing her story, and that even some men have messaged her to say they would start doing breast self-checks.
Breitkreitz is still recovering from surgical complications, and has years’ worth of doctor’s visits and cancer checks in her future.
She has years’ worth of nights and weekends at the track with her son, too, and whatever other adventures life may bring her way.
Breitkreitz said she’s grateful for the chance to have that future, and one that includes such a compassionate and generous extended family.
“We all come from different walks of life,” Breitkreitz said. “But the fact that people can put that aside and band together to help somebody is pretty darn amazing.”
Tucson Dragway Track Manager Matt DeYoung donned pink on Nov. 10 to support chaplain Amy Breitkreitz, who underwent a double mastectomy that day.