Brian Keith Foster was a professional American "Mid School" Bicycle Motocross (BMX)

BMX

Bicycle motocross or BMX refers to the sport in which the main goal is extreme racing on bicycles in motocross style on tracks with inline start and expressive obstacles, and it is also the term that refers to the bicycle itself that is designed for dirt and motocross cycling.- History :BMX started...

 racer and Dirt Jumper whose prime competitive years were from 1992–2000.
Had the nicknames "Blue Falcon", BF" and "Dirt" 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

Alan Foster (BMX racer)

Alan David Foster was a professional American "Mid School" Bicycle Motocross racer and Dirt Jumper whose prime competitive years were from...

 they were the Mid School era's answer to Old School's *Brent

Brent Patterson (BMX rider)

Brent Hathaway Patterson is a former American "Old School" bicycle motocross racer....

 & Brian Patterson

Brian Patterson

Brian Patterson is a former American "Old School" bicycle motocross racer.Brian Patterson is the younger of the most potent sibling combinations BMX has ever seen. With Brent the Brothers Patterson are the only brothers to both hold the National No.1 Pro title in any major BMX sanctioning body...

 and Eddy

Eddy King

Edward King is an "Old School" former professional Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1977 to 1985....

 & Mike King

Mike King (BMX racer)

Michael Allen King is an "Old School/Mid School" former professional Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1984 to 1998 and is also a former Mountain Bike racer who prime competitive years in that discipline were 1993 to 2004.- Biography :Mike King is the younger...

. 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

----

Milestone	Event Details
Started Racing:	April 1981 at eight years old. He started a week after brother Alan because he had soccer practice the weekend Alan raced. Alan described how great racing was and Brian went with him the next week.
Sanctioning Body:
First race bike:
First race result:	Probably DNF. In his first moto the chain came off his bike and he stood in the middle of the track and cried because he did not know how to place it back on.
First win (local):
First sponsor:	1982 JF&S Plumbing.
First national win:
Turned Professional:	September 1991 at 19 years old, shortly after the National Bicycle League National Bicycle League The National Bicycle League is a United States based Bicycle Motocross sports sanctioning body originally based in Deerfield Beach, Florida but after several moves it was based in Hilliard, Ohio...  (NBL) Grandnationals.
First Professional race result:	Third place in "A" pro at the American Bicycle Association American Bicycle Association The American Bicycle Association is a United States-based Bicycle Motocross sports governing body in Gilbert, Arizona created by Merl Mennenga and Gene Roden in 1977. It is the largest sanctioning body in the United States concerning BMX. It has tracks in Canada and Mexico as well as in the USA...  (ABA) Fall Nationals in Yorba Linda, California Yorba Linda, California Yorba Linda is a suburban city in northeastern Orange County, California, approximately northeast of Downtown Santa Ana, and southeast of Downtown Los Angeles....  on October 27, 1991 (Day 2)
First Professional win:	In "A" Pro at the NBL Christmas Classic in Columbus, Ohio Columbus, Ohio Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...  on December 29, 1991
First Junior Men/Pro* race result:	See "First Professional race result" above.
First Junior Men/Pro win:	See "First Professional win"
First Senior Pro** race result:	At the ABA Gold Cup Championships West in Reno, Nevada Reno, Nevada Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...  on October 4, 1992. He moved himself up to "AA" pro despite needing an additional $500 to be graduated madatorally. He won his very first "AA" Pro moto.
First Senior Pro win:
Height and weight at height of his career: (1992–1998)	Ht:6' 1" Wt:165 lbs.(1992)
Retired:	Retired: 2001. At a "La Revolusion" freestyle contest he decided to quit racing. According to a defgrip.net interview in 2007 the specific reason he gave up racing to devote full time to dirt jumping is that racing ceased to be fun. "....it became less about racing and more about doing squats at the gym."

Amateur

• JF&S Plumbing: 1982–1983
• Wheel Power Bike Shop: 1983–1989
• S&M (Greg Scott & Chris Moeller) Bicycles: 1989
• TNT/Goodtimes: March 1990-Mid 1990
• Cyclecraft: Mid 1990-December 1992

Professional

• Cyclecraft: 1990 – December 1992
• Hyper: January–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.
• Fit Bikes/Fox Racing/Primo: 2003–present

Amateur/Junior Men

National Bicycle Association (NBA)

• None

National 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 Champion

Fédération Internationale Amateur de Cyclisme (FIAC)*

• 1990 17 boys Second Place World Champion

International Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)*

• None

Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)*

• None

Professional/Elite Men

National Bicycle Association

National Bicycle Association

The National Bicycle Association , later known as the National Bicycle Motocross Association was an United States based Bicycle Motocross sports sanctioning body originally based in Soledad, California that was created by Ernie Alexander in 1973 and ceased operations as an independent body in 1981...

 (NBA)

• None (defunct)

National Bicycle League

National Bicycle League

The National Bicycle League is a United States based Bicycle Motocross sports sanctioning body originally based in Deerfield Beach, Florida but after several moves it was based in Hilliard, Ohio...

 (NBL)

• 1992 Superclass/"B"-Pro Grandnational Champion
• 1992 Superclass/"B"-Pro National No.1 (Racing)
• 1994 Summer Spectacular Series Champion
• 1995 "AA" Pro National No.3
• 1996 NBL Dirt Circuit Champion (Dirt Jumping)

American Bicycle Association

American Bicycle Association

The American Bicycle Association is a United States-based Bicycle Motocross sports governing body in Gilbert, Arizona created by Merl Mennenga and Gene Roden in 1977. It is the largest sanctioning body in the United States concerning BMX. It has tracks in Canada and Mexico as well as in the USA...

 (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

United States Bicycle Motocross Association

The United States Bicycle Association was a short lived Bicycle Motocross national sanctioning body based in Tempe, Arizona. It was founded in March 1984 by five former members of the American Bicycle Association : Rich Mann, Dave Cook, Geoff Sims, Steve Schaefer and Rod Keeling, who became the...

 (USBA)

• None

International Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)*

• None

Fédération Internationale Amateur de Cyclisme (FIAC)*

• None (FIAC did not have a strictly professional division during its existence)

Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)*

• 1995 Elite Men Silver Medal World Cup Champion

Pro Series Championships

• 1998 Summer X-Games Dirt Jumping Gold Medalist Champion.
• 2001 Summer X Games Downhill BMX racing Silver Medalist

Notable accolades

• Named one of the ten hottest and fastest rookie pros of 1992 by BMX Plus! magazine.
• Voted the "ABA Pro of the Year" in 1995

BMX product lines

• 1996 Airwalk Foster Bros. Signature shoes. This product was co-endorsed by his brother Alan
  Alan Foster (BMX racer)
  Alan David Foster was a professional American "Mid School" Bicycle Motocross racer and Dirt Jumper whose prime competitive years were from...
  
  .
• 1997 Schwinn Brian Foster Blue Falcon Frameset

Product Evaluation:

Snap BMX Magazine June 1998, vol. 4, issue 4, no. 23, p. 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

Product Evaluation:

• 2004 Fit Brian Foster Signature Model Bicycle

Product Evaluation:

Significant injuries

• Broke collarbone in a race in New Jersey when he was thirteen years old in 1985.
• Tore ACL ligament & Cartilage in left knee on March 1, 1997, at Sheep Hills. He damaged it after a failed attempt at a mid air "360" and he landed wrong on his left foot. 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. He was laid up for four weeks after surgery.
• Broke hand racing at the NBL Christmas Classic in Columbus, Ohio
  Columbus, Ohio
  Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
  
   on December 28, 1997 (Day 1). He sat out the next day.
• 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
  Sarasota, Florida
  Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers...
  
   during the weekend of April 4, 1999.
• Broke a bone in his wrist at the CFB Round II freestyle contest in the Summer of 2002. He was out for approximately three weeks
• Had his bursa sack
  Bursa (anatomy)
  A bursa is a small fluid-filled sac lined by synovial membrane with an inner capillary layer of slimy fluid . It provides a cushion between bones and tendons and/or muscles around a joint. This helps to reduce friction between the bones and allows free movement...
  
   removed after pronounced infected swelling on his knee after he struck it against his handle bars in late 2002 before he went with the Fit team to Spain. He was laid up for approximately four weeks.

Miscellaneous

• 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).

• Brian Foster came very close to becoming ABA National No.1 pro in 1995 Despite a significant gap in points between him 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
  John Purse
  John Eric Purse is a former American professional "Mid School" Bicycle Motocross racer...
  
   and Gary Ellis
  Gary Ellis
  Gary Leo Ellis Jr. was an American "Old School" professional bicycle motocross racer.Ellis was one of the last of the "Old School" BMX racers whose careers started in the 1970s to early 1980s. His prime competitive years were from 1982-1996.Nickname: "The Lumberjack"...
  
  , 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
  Christophe Leveque
  Christophe Lévêque is a French professional "Mid/Current School" Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1990-2003...
  
   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
  Matt Hadan
  Matthew Merle Hadan is an American professional "Old/Mid School" Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years are from 1985-1995. Nicknamed early in his career "The Master" and later "The Diesel"....
  
   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 come 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.

Other significant sibling combinations in BMX

• Brent
  Brent Patterson (BMX rider)
  Brent Hathaway Patterson is a former American "Old School" bicycle motocross racer....
  
   & Brian Patterson
  Brian Patterson
  Brian Patterson is a former American "Old School" bicycle motocross racer.Brian Patterson is the younger of the most potent sibling combinations BMX has ever seen. With Brent the Brothers Patterson are the only brothers to both hold the National No.1 Pro title in any major BMX sanctioning body...
  
  
• Ronnie & Richie Anderson
• Mike
  Mike King (BMX racer)
  Michael Allen King is an "Old School/Mid School" former professional Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1984 to 1998 and is also a former Mountain Bike racer who prime competitive years in that discipline were 1993 to 2004.- Biography :Mike King is the younger...
  
   & Eddy King
  Eddy King
  Edward King is an "Old School" former professional Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1977 to 1985....
  
  
• Eric
  Eric Rupe
  Eric Fitzgerald Rupe is an "Old School" American professional bicycle motocross racer. His prime competitive years were from 1978 to 1990....
  
   & Robby Rupe
• Richard & Gary Houseman

BMX press magazine interviews and articles

• "Foster Bros.", Go, August 1991, vol. 2, issue 10, p. 52. Two separate interviews of Brian and his brother Alan Foster
  Alan Foster (BMX racer)
  Alan David Foster was a professional American "Mid School" Bicycle Motocross racer and Dirt Jumper whose prime competitive years were from...
  
  .
• "Young Guns II", BMX Plus!, June 1992, vol. 17, no. 6, p. 27. One of ten rookie pro racers given a short listing profile article.
• "The Foster Files", BMX Plus!, March 1993, vol. 16, no. 3, p. 63. Joint interview with his brother Alan Foster.
• "face: Brian Foster", Ride BMX Magazine, December 1993, vol. 2, issue 6, no. 8, p. 30.
• "Double Interview: Christophe Lévêque & Brian Foster", BMX Plus!, April 1996, vol. 19, no. 4, p. 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, issue 2, no. 15, p. 62.
• "tabletop how-to's:", Snap BMX Magazine, September/October 1997, vol. 4, issue 5, no. 18, p. 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, issue 3, no. 31, p. 24. One of 10 separate interviews of different racers including Matt Hadan
  Matt Hadan
  Matthew Merle Hadan is an American professional "Old/Mid School" Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years are from 1985-1995. Nicknamed early in his career "The Master" and later "The Diesel"....
  
   and Dale Holmes
  Dale Holmes
  Dale John Holmes was a British professional "Old/Mid School" Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1990-2004. He is now a respected champion mountain bike racer....
  
   asking if they ever cheated during a race.
• "Brian Foster", Snap BMX Magazine, May 1999, vol. 6, issue 5, no. 31, poster back.
• "Brian Foster", Snap BMX Magazine, May 2000, vol. 7, issue 5, no. 43, poster back. Interview conducted by his brother Alan Foster
  Alan Foster (BMX racer)
  Alan David Foster was a professional American "Mid School" Bicycle Motocross racer and Dirt Jumper whose prime competitive years were from...
  
  .
• "Double Down", Snap BMX Magazine, August 2000, vol. 7, issue 8, no. 46, p. 80. Brian discusses his double knee operation in April 2000.
• "Wasted Land", BMX Plus!, October 2000, vol. 23, no. 10, p. 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, issue 11, no. 73, p. 40. Foster answers submitted questions by the readers of Transworld BMX.
• "Four Pros & 3 wishes", Transworld BMX" July 2004, vol. 11, issue 7, no. 93, p. 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, issue 11, no. 97, p. 98.

BMX magazine covers

----
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
  Christophe Leveque
  Christophe Lévêque is a French professional "Mid/Current School" Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1990-2003...
  
   in background inside.
• March 1993, vol. 16, no. 3, (6) with brother Alan Foster
  Alan Foster (BMX racer)
  Alan David Foster was a professional American "Mid School" Bicycle Motocross racer and Dirt Jumper whose prime competitive years were from...
  
   (4) In bottom insert Mike King.
• August 1993, vol. 16, no. 8, (1) on the left hand side slightly behind Eric Carter
  Eric Carter
  Eric Robert Carter is a former American professional "Old/Mid School" Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1983 to 1998...
  
   (25). In insert Freestyler Matt Hoffman
  Mat Hoffman
  Mat Hoffman is an American BMX rider considered one of the best vert-ramp riders in the history of the sport. He is nicknamed "The Condor" and owns the BMX Freestyle brand Hoffman BMX Bikes, based out of Oklahoma City, OK.-Bio:...
  
  .
• May 1994, vol. 17, no. 5, in second behind Gary Ellis
  Gary Ellis
  Gary Leo Ellis Jr. was an American "Old School" professional bicycle motocross racer.Ellis was one of the last of the "Old School" BMX racers whose careers started in the 1970s to early 1980s. His prime competitive years were from 1982-1996.Nickname: "The Lumberjack"...
  
   (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
  Randy Stumpfhauser
  Randall Richard Stumpfhauser is an American professional "Mid School" Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years are from 1998 to the present...
  
   (200) leading; Charles Townsend
  Charles Townsend (BMX racer)
  Charles Heath Townsend is an "Old School/Mid School" former professional Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1985 to 1996....
  
   (10) in fourth; unidentified (16) in third. In top right insert dirt jumper Matt Beringer. In bottom right insert Kiyomi Waller
  Kiyomi Waller
  Kiyomi Waller is an American professional "Old/Mid School" Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1989-1998....
  
   (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, issue 3, no. 22, (Snap)
• May 2000, vol. 7, issue 5, no. 43, In top insert. In main image Danny Nelson
  Danny Nelson
  Daniel Lee Nelson was an American professional "Mid & Current School" Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years are from 1993 to 2003. His nickname is "Thunder".-Racing career milestones:...
  
   (1) slightly behind Matt Pohlkamp (7) and Eric Abbadessa (9).
• August 2002, vol. 9, issue 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

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

External links

• The American Bicycle Association (ABA) Website.
• The National Bicycle League (NBL) Website.
• American Bicycle.
• Electric bikes.