Bob Foster (racing driver)
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 United Kingdom
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A. Robert "Bob" Foster (born March 16, 1911 in Gloucestershire , England , † March 22, 1982 ) was a British motorcycle racer .
In the 1950 season he won the world championship title in the 350 cm³ class of the motorcycle world championship on a Velocette .
Career
Bob Foster began his racing career in the 1930s. In 1935 he was on New Imperial at the Ulster Grand Prix in Northern Ireland behind the German DKW pilot Arthur Geiss Vice European Champion in the 250 cc class. In 1936 he won his first victory at the legendary Tourist Trophy on the Isle of Man . He won on New Imperial ahead of Henry Tyrell-Smith in the race of the Lightweight TT (250 cm³ class) with a new lap record of 74.28 mph .
After the end of the Second World War , which forced Foster to interrupt his career, the Briton won the Junior TT in the 350 cm³ class on Velocette in the first edition after the end of the war in 1947 .
From 1949 , Bob Foster started for Velocette in the 350 cm³ class of the newly created motorcycle world championship . In the first year he finished third behind his brand colleague Freddie Frith and AJS pilot Reg Armstrong .
In the 1950 season , Foster won the races in Belgium and the Netherlands and the Ulster Grand Prix three of the four world championship races in which he competed. The Briton secured the 350 World Championship title with 30 out of 32 possible points, ahead of Norton pilot Geoff Duke .
After winning the World Championship, Bob Foster retired from the World Championship and concentrated on working in his Moto Guzzi store in Parkstone , Dorset . Nonetheless, he returned in 1951 and finished sixth on his trusty bike in the Junior TT race .
In his career, Bob Foster took part in eight motorcycle Grand Prix, with three wins and a total of six podium finishes. He was also able to celebrate two class wins at the Tourist Trophy.
statistics
title
- 1935 - 350 cc vice European champion on New Imperial
- 1950 - 350 cm³ world champion on Velocette
Isle of Man TT victories
| year | class | machine | Average speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1936 | Lightweight (250 cm³) | New Imperial | 74.28 mph (119.54 km / h ) |
| 1947 | Junior (350 cm³) | Velocette | 80.31 mph (129.25 km / h) |
North West 200 Victories
| year | class | machine | Average speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | 350 cc | AJS | 69.46 mph (111.79 km / h ) |
In the motorcycle world championship
| season | class | motorcycle | run | Victories | Podiums | Points | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | 350 cc | Velocette | 3 | - | 2 | 16.5 | 3. |
| 1950 | 350 cc | Velocette | 4th | 3 | 4th | 30th | World Champion |
| 1951 | 350 cc | Velocette | 1 | - | - | 1 | 16. |
| total | 8th | 3 | 6th | 47.5 | |||
Web links
- Bob Foster on the official website of the Motorcycle World Championship (English).
- Bob Foster on the Isle of Man TT official website.
- Bob Foster at motorsportmemorial.org (English)
1949 : Freddie Frith | 1950 : Bob Foster | 1951 : Geoff Duke | 1952 : Geoff Duke | 1953 : Fergus Anderson | 1954 : Fergus Anderson | 1955 : Bill Lomas | 1956 : Bill Lomas | 1957 : Keith Campbell | 1958 : John Surtees | 1959 : John Surtees | 1960 : John Surtees | 1961 : Gary Hocking | 1962 : Jim Redman | 1963 : Jim Redman | 1964 : Jim Redman | 1965 : Jim Redman | 1966 : Mike Hailwood | 1967 : Mike Hailwood | 1968 : Giacomo Agostini | 1969 : Giacomo Agostini | 1970 : Giacomo Agostini | 1971 : Giacomo Agostini | 1972 : Giacomo Agostini | 1973 : Giacomo Agostini | 1974 : Giacomo Agostini | 1975 : Johnny Cecotto | 1976 : Walter Villa | 1977 : Takazumi Katayama | 1978 : Cork Ballington | 1979 : Cork Ballington | 1980 : Jon Ekerold | 1981 : Toni Mang | 1982 : Toni Mang
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Foster, Bob |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Foster, A. Robert |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | British motorcycle racer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | March 16, 1911 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Gloucestershire |
| DATE OF DEATH | March 22, 1982 |