Brian Foster

Infobox Cyclist
ridername = Brian Foster


image_size =
image_caption =
fullname = Brian Keith Foster
nickname = "Dirt", "The Blue Falcon", "BF"
dateofbirth = birth date and age |1972|6|29
height = 1.85m (6 ft 1 in Imperial)
weight = 74.8kg (165lbs. Imperial)
country = USA
currentteam = Retired (racing)
discipline = Bicycle Motocross (BMX)
role = Racer
ridertype = Off Road
protourrank =
europetourrank =
amateuryears = 1982-1983
1983-1989
1989
1990
1990-1991
amateurteams = JF&S Plumbing
Wheel Power
S&M Bicycles
TNT/Goodtimes
Cyclecraft
proyears = 1991-1992
1993
1993-1994
1995-1998
1998-2000
2000-2003
2003-Present
proteams = Cyclecraft
Hyper
Airwalk
Schwinn/Airwalk
Schwinn
Airwalk/Fit Bike Company
Fit Bikes/Fox Racing/Primo
majorwins =
updated = July 17, 2008

Brian Keith Foster ["BMX Plus!" March 1993 Vol.16 No.3 pg.63] (b. June 29, 1972 in Wilmington, Delaware (later raised in Joppa, Maryland) USA) was a professional American "Mid School" Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer and Dirt Jumper whose prime competitive years were from 1992-2000. Had the nick names "Blue Falcon", BF" and "Dirt" ["Snap BMX Magazine" May 1999 Vol.6 Iss.3 No.31 pg.5 (table of contents)] Brain Foster is one half of one of those sibling combinations that every so often that appear in BMX, usually brothers and along with his brother Alan they were the Mid School era's answer to Old School's *Brent & Brian Patterson and Eddy & Mike King. While neither gained as many titles in racing either collectively or individually as the Pattersons or the Kings (Brian was somewhat more successful in racing than Alan), they soon became respected pioneers and champions in the then new recognized BMX sub discipline of Dirt Jumping that began as an organized sport in 1989.

BMX racing milestones

Note: Professional first are on the national level unless otherwise indicated.

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*In the NBL "B" Pro/Super Class/"A" Pro/Junior Elite Men depending on the era; in the ABA it is "A" Pro. **In the NBL it is "AA" Pro/Elite Men; in the ABA it is "AA" Pro.

Career factory and major bike shop sponsors

Note: This listing only denotes the racer's primary sponsors. At any given time a racer could have numerous ever changing co-sponsors. Primary sponsorships can be verified by BMX press coverage and sponsor's advertisements at the time in question. When possible exact dates are used.

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Amateur

*JF&S Plumbing: 1982-1983
*Wheel Power Bike Shop: 1983-1989 ["Go" August 1991 Vol.2 Iss.10 pg.52]
*S&M (Greg "S"cott & Chris "M"oeller ["BMX Plus!" September 1989 Vol.12 No.9 pg.49] ) Bicycles: 1989
*TNT/Goodtimes: March 1990-Mid 1990
*Cyclecraft: Mid 1990-December 1992

Professional

*Cyclecraft: 1990-December 1992
*Hyper: January 1993-April 1993
*Airwalk: May 1993-1994
*Schwinn/Airwalk: 1995-1998
*Schwinn: 1998-November 2000
*Airwalk/Fit Bike Company: November 2000-2003 Airwalk drops Foster in 2003. [ [http://www.23mag.com/gens/fosterb.htm 23mag.com Foster bio] ]
*Fit Bikes/Fox Racing/Primo: 2003-present

Career bicycle motocross titles

Note: Listed are District, State/Provincial/Department, Regional, National, and International titles in "italics". "Defunct" refers to the fact of that sanctioning body in question no longer existing at the start of the racer's career or at that stage of his/her career. Depending on point totals of individual racers, winners of Grand Nationals do not necessarily win National titles. Series and one off Championships are also listed in block.

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Amateur

National Bicycle Association (NBA)
*NoneNational Bicycle League (NBL)
*1990 18& Over Expert Grandnational Champion
*"1991 18 & Over Expert NBL National No.1" American Bicycle Association (ABA)
*1988 16 Expert Grandnational ChampionFédération Internationale Amateur de Cyclisme (FIAC)*
*NoneInternational Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)*
*NoneUnion Cycliste Internationale (UCI)*
*None

*See note in professional section
Championships.

Professional

National Bicycle Association (NBA)
*None (defunct)National Bicycle League (NBL)
*1992 Superclass/"B"-Pro Grandnational Champion
*"1992 Superclass/"B"-Pro National No.1" (Racing)
*1994 Summer Spectacular Series Champion
*1996 NBL Dirt Circuit Champion (Dirt Jumping)American Bicycle Association (ABA)
*"1994 "AA" Pro US Open East Champion"
*1995 ABA "Pros in Paradise" Champion. (Racing)
*1996, 1997 ABA King of Dirt (KOD) Champion (Dirt Jumping)United States Bicycle Motocross Association (USBA)
*None (defunct)International Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)*
*NoneFédération Internationale Amateur de Cyclisme (FIAC)*
*None (FIAC did not have a strictly professional division during its existence) (defunct).Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)*
*None

*Note: Beginning in 1991 the IBMXF and FIAC had been holding joint World Championship events as a transitional phase in merging which began in earnest in 1993. Beginning with the 1996 season the IBMXF and FIAC completed the merger and both ceased to exist as independent entities being integrated into the UCI. Beginning with the 1997 World Championships held in Brighton, England the UCI would officially hold and sanction BMX World Championships and with it inherited all precedents, records, streaks, etc. from both the IBMXF and FIAC.

Pro Series Championships
*1998 X-Games Dirt Jumping Champion.

Notable accolades

*Named one of the ten hottest and fastest rookie pros of 1992 by "BMX Plus!" magazine. ["BMX Plus!" June 1992 Vol.17 No.6 pg.28]
*Voted the "ABA Pro of the Year" in 1995 ["Snap BMX Magazine" April/May 1996 Vol.3 Iss.2 No.9 pg.20]

BMX product lines

*1996 Airwalk "Foster Bros." Signature shoes. ["Snap BMX Magazine" March/April 1997 Vol.4 Iss.2 No.15 pg.11 (advertisement in this and subsequent issues)]
*1997 Schwinn "Brian Foster Blue Falcon" Frameset ["Snap BMX Magazine" September/October 1997 Vol.4 Iss.5 No.18 pg.28] :Product Evaluation:::"Snap BMX Magazine" June 1998 Vol.4 Iss.4 No.23 pg.48
*2000 Schwinn "Brian Foster Signature Series" complete bicycle.:Product Evaluation:
*2001 Schwinn "Brian Foster Super Stock Signature Series" complete bicycle.:Product Evaluation:
*2003 Fit "Brian Foster Street" Frame ["Transworld BMX" March 2004 Vol.11 Iss.3 No.89 pg.92] :Product Evaluation:
*2004 Fit "Brian Foster Signature Model Bicycle":Product Evaluation:

ignificant injuries

*Broke collarbone in a race in New Jersey when he was thirteen years old in 1985. ["Ride BMX Magazine" December 2007]
*Tore ACL ligament & Cartilage in left knee on March 1, 1997 at Sheep Hills. ["Snap BMX Magazine" January/February Vol.5 Iss.1 No.20 pg.37] He damaged it after a failed attempt at a mid air "360" and he landed wrong on his left foot. ["Snap BMX Magazine" August 2000 Vol.7 Iss.8 No.46 pg.80] The wind blew him off course during the Schwinn photography session. As a result he missed both the ABA Winternationals and the Cactus Cup jumping contest. ["Snap BMX Magazine" May/June 1997 Vol.4 Iss.3 No.16 pgs.14&15] He was laid up for four weeks after surgery. [Snap BMX Magazine January/February 1998 Vol.5 Iss. No. pg.37]
*Broke hand racing at the NBL Christmas Classic in Columbus, Ohio on December 28, 1997 (Day 1). He sat out the next day. ["Snap BMX Magazine" May 1998 Vol.5 Iss.3 No.22 pg.45]
*Hurt shoulder in the Pro Open Main in a pile up crash right in front of a jump in the second straight at the NBL Easter Classic National in Sarasota, Florida during the weekend of April 4, 1999. [ "Snap BMX Magazine" August 1999 Vol.6 Iss.6 No.34 pg.30]

Racing habits and traits

Miscellaneous and trivia

*Foster once held a job painting bicycle frames at one of his past sponsors, Cycle Craft. What makes this unique is that Foster is color blind. He explains how he got the job in an interview in the March/April 1997 issue of "Snap BMX Magazine:"

"Snap Magazine:" "How'd you get a job painting bikes if you're color blind?"
"Brian Foster:" "(laughter) I don't think they knew. I went there just to help out working with bikes and the next ting you know they're like, "Do you know how to paint?" "Yeah, sure." And I started painting. The only time I ran into trouble was late at night when I was by myself and there was no purple paint--I just mixed some blue and some red and see what I came up with (more laughter). ["Snap BMX Magazine" March/April 1997 Vol.4 Iss.2 No.15 pg.65]

*Brian Foster came very close to becoming ABA National No.1 pro in 1995 Despite a significant gap in points between he and the leaders John Purse and Gary Ellis going into the ABA Grandnationals. He closed that gap greatly at the grandnationals with the great aid of both John Purse and Gary Ellis, defying his reputation of being his best at important races high pressure races. Brian handled the pressure better and was able to past the fourth place racer in his semi final and qualify for the main. He had his fate in his hands enough so that in the "AA" pro main he need only a fifth or sixth place finish to win the title. The thinking was that there was no way he would finish in the back of the pack. Foster ended up eighth in his first "AA" pro main after crashing into a pile up ahead of him. In the second run of the finals Foster came in last after getting into a wreck in turn three with Jamie Staff as Foster was in second. Meanwhile Frenchman Christophe Lévêque who was in a distant fourth place in points at the start of the Grandnationals. In the third main Foster ended up in sixth position after the first straight, then managed to move up to second place behind Lévêque with the other contenders for the Grand National win-but not the title-Matt Hadan and Mike King in the rear. Foster only needed to remain in his position and let Lévêque have the Grand National win while Foster took the National #1 title. However, Foster's front wheel slid out and he crashed and the rest of the pack collided into him. After the scramble to pick up their bicycles and head for the finish Foster had came in seventh position. Foster had lost the Number one Plate. In another controversy Gary Ellis was rewarded National #1 instead of Christophe Lévêque due to the rule at the time that no foreigner could win the ABA National Number One Pro title. ["Snap BMX Magazine" April/May 1996 Vol.3 Iss.2 No.9 pgs.20-24]

Other significant sibling combinations in BMX

*Brent & Brian Patterson
*Ronnie & Richie Anderson
*Mike & Eddy King
*Eric & Robby Rupe

BMX press magazine interviews and articles

*"Foster Bros." "Go" August 1991 Vol.2 Iss.10 pg.52 Two separate interviews of Brian and his brother Alan Foster.
*"Young Guns II"BMX Plus!" June 1992 Vol.17 No.6 pg.27 One of ten rookie pro racers given a short listing profile article.
*"The Foster Files" "BMX Plus!" March 1993 Vol.16 No.3 pg.63 Joint interview with his brother Alan Foster.
*"face: Brian Foster" "Ride BMX Magazine" December 1993 Vol.2 Iss.6 No.8 pg.30
*"Double Interview: Christophe Lévêque & Brian Foster"BMX Plus!" April 1996 Vol.19 No.4 pg.71 Two separate interviews of the events of the controversial 1995 ABA Grandnational, including Foster's losing his bid for National No.1.
*"Brian Foster Interview" "Snap BMX Magazine" March/April 1997 Vol.4 Iss.2 No.15 pg.62
*"tabletop how-to's:" "Snap BMX Magazine" September/October 1997 Vol.4 Iss.5 No.18 pg.43 Foster gives a brief description on how to properly execute a "tabletop" maneuver.
*"Q&A: Have you ever cheated racing?" "Snap BMX Magazine" May 1999 Vol.6 Iss.3 No.31 pg.24 One of 10 separate interviews of different racers including Matt Hadan and Dale Holmes asking if they ever cheated during a race.
*"Brian Foster" "Snap BMX Magazine" May 1999 Vol.6 Iss.5 No.31 Poster back.
*"Brian Foster" "Snap BMX Magazine" May 2000 Vol.7 Iss.5 No.43 Poster back. Interview conducted by his brother Alan Foster.
*"Double Down" "Snap BMX Magazine" August 2000 Vol.7 Iss.8 No.46 pg.80 Brian discusses his double knee operation in April 2000.
*"Wasted Land"BMX Plus!" October 2000 Vol.23 No.10 pg.78 Foster's editorial article about the paradoxical effects of shrinking areas to dirt jump or to street/freestyle and the increasing popularity of the sport.
*"Ask Brian" "Transworld BMX" October November 2002 Vol.9 Iss.11 No.73 pg.40 Foster answers submitted questions by the readers of "Transworld BMX".

*"Four Pros & 3 wishes" "Transworld BMX" July 2004 Vol.11 Iss.7 No.93 pg.20 He is one of four whimsical interviews with dirt jumping pros asked what are the three things they would have either inside or outside the BMX world. Brian Castillo, Adam Banton and Todd Walkowiak are the other subjects.
*"Brian Foster and the TWBMX Ten" "Transworld BMX" November 2004 Vol.11 Iss.11 No.97 pg.98

BMX magazine covers

Note: (defunct) denotes that the magazine was out of business before the career of the racer started.

----"Bicycle Motocross News:"
*None (defunct)"Minicycle/BMX Action" & "Super BMX:"
*None"Bicycle Motocross Action" & "Go:"
*None"BMX Plus!:"
*March 1991 Vol.14 No.3 in virtual tie in between Dave Cullinan (4) in foreground outside and Christophe Lévêque in background inside.
*March 1993 Vol.16 No.3 (6) with brother Alan Foster (4) In bottom insert Mike King.
*August 1993 Vol.16 No.8 (1) on the left hand side slightly behind Eric Carter (25). In insert Freestyler Matt Hoffman.
*May 1994 Vol.17 No.5 in second behind Gary Ellis (1) in the lead and ahead of brother Alan Foster (4) in third.
*July 1994 Vol.17 No.7. In insert four girls modeling T-Shirts
*July 1995 Vol.18 No.7. In top insert three girls modeling T-Shirts; in middle left insert a full suspension Mongoose BMX bicycle.
*August 1996 Vol.19 No.8 In right insert. In main insert Andy Contes (1) along with two unidentifieds (3) & (14).
*February 1997 Vol.20 No.2 (3) in middle insert in second; Randy Stumpfhauser (200) leading; Charles Townsend (10) in fourth; unidentified (16) in third. In top right insert dirt jumper Matt Beringer. In bottom right insert Kiyomi Waller (403). In bottom left insert various helmets."Total BMX:"
*None "Bicycles and Dirt:"
*None"Ride BMX Magazine:" UK & US versions
*Ride US: February/March 1996 issue 20
*Ride US: May 2004
*Ride UK: March 2008 issue 113 "Snap BMX Magazine" & "Transworld BMX:"
*May 1998 Vol.5 Iss.3 No.22 (Snap)
*May 2000 Vol.7 Iss.5 No.43 In top insert. In main image Danny Nelson (1) slightly behind Matt Pohlkamp (7) and Eric Abbadessa (9).
*August 2002 Vol.9 Iss.8 No.70 (TWBMX)"BMX Freedom:"
*October 2002"BMX Rider UK:"
*November 2003 No.16"Moto Mag:"
*None"BMX World:"

"NBA World:" & "NBmX World" (The official NBA/NBmxA membership publication):
*None (defunct)"Bicycles Today" & "BMX Today" (The official NBL membership publication under two names):

"ABA Action, American BMXer, BMXer" (The official ABA membership publication under three names):

"USBA Racer" (The official USBA membership publication):
*None (defunct)

End Notes

External links

* [http://www.ababmx.com/ The American Bicycle Association (ABA) Website.]
* [http://www.nbl.org/ The National Bicycle League (NBL) Website.]