Samuel Dwight Hanks (July 13, 1914 – June 27, 1994) was an American racing driver who won the 1957 Indianapolis 500. He was a barnstormer, and raced midget and Championship cars.

Racing career

Hanks was born in Columbus, Ohio and lived in Alhambra, California from the age of six. He attended Alhambra High School.

Hanks won his first championship in 1937 on the West Coast in the American Midget Association (AMA). He barnstormed the country, racing on the board tracks at Soldier Field in Chicago. Hanks reportedly won the first two board track races at Soldier Field in 1939. He won the 1940 VFW ĚMotor City Speedway championship in Detroit. During the Second World War, Hanks served in the Army Air Corps.

After World War II, Hanks captured the 1946 United Racing Association (URA) Blue Circuit Championship. He won the 1947 Night before the 500 midget car race. He was the 1949 AAA National Midget champion. He won the 1953 AAA National Championship in the Bardahl Special. He won the 1956 Pacific Coast championship in the USAC Stock cars.

Hanks considered retiring following the 1956 Indianapolis 500, but agreed to return for the 1957 race at the urging of car owner George Salih. 1957 was his 13th appearance in the 500, although in 1941, he merely was credited with finishing 33rd despite not racing, he had been injured in a practice crash the day before the race and withdrew. In his twelfth race where he raced on the track, he finally won, setting a record for the most tries before becoming a winner at Indy and announced his retirement from racing in Victory Circle (Tony Kanaan would win his first Indy in his 12th Indy 500 appearance in 2013). He did not stop racing immediately following his victory, however, but completed his contract to run a stock car for the remainder of the 1957 season.Indianapolis 500 win worth $2.35 million to Tony Kanaan, Autoweek, May 27, 2013, retrieved May 24, 2024

World Drivers' Championship career

The AAA/USAC-sanctioned Indianapolis 500 was included in the FIA World Drivers' Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indianapolis during those years were credited with World Drivers' Championship participation, and were eligible to score WDC points alongside those which they may have scored towards the AAA/USAC National Championship.

Hanks participated in eight World Drivers' Championship races at Indianapolis. He won once, and finished in the top three four times. He scored 20 World Drivers' Championship points.

Television appearance

Hanks portrayed himself in the episode "The Comedians" of the CBS situation comedy Mr. Adams and Eve, starring Ida Lupino and Howard Duff. The episode aired on November 8, 1957.

Later life

Hanks drove the pace car at the Indianapolis 500 from 1958 to 1963.

Hanks is believed to be the only Indianapolis 500 driver to participate in the race before World War II, serve in the war effort, then return to race again after the war. It has also been conjectured that Hanks may have been a distant relative to Abraham Lincoln.

Having experienced ill health for three years, Hanks died at his home in Pacific Palisades, California on June 27, 1994, aged 79.

Awards and honors

Hanks has been inducted into the following halls of fame: Auto Racing Hall of Fame (1981) National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame (1984) Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame (1984) National Sprint Car Hall of Fame (1998) Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (2000) West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame (2005) Alhambra High School Hall of Fame

Hanks has been awarded the following honors: Automotive Hall of Fame Distinguished Service Citation (1971)

Motorsports career results

AAA/USAC Championship Car results

Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Pos Points 1946 INDY31 LAN ATL ISF MIL GOS - 0 1947 INDYDNQ MIL LAN ATL BAI MIL GOS MIL PIK SPR ARL - 0 1948 ARL INDY26 MIL LAN MIL SPR MIL DUQ ATL PIK SPR DUQ - 0 1949 ARL INDY30 MILDNQ TRE SPR MILDNQ DUQDNQ PIK SYR DET SPR LAN SACDNQ DMRDNP-0 1950 INDY30 MILDNQ LAN SPR MIL PIK SYR DET SPR SAC PHX BAY2 DAR 23rd 240 1951 INDY12 MIL LAN DAR SPR MIL DUQ5 DUQ3 PIK SYRDNQ DET5 DNC10 SJSDNQ PHX BAY 16th 421.4 1952 INDY3 MILDNQ RAL18 SPR3 MIL14 DETDNQ DUQ2 PIK SYR12 DNC4 SJS5 PHX2 3rd 1,390 1953 INDY3 MIL10 SPR2 DET4 SPR1 MIL22 DUQ1 PIK SYR4 ISF5 SAC3 PHX3 1st 1,659.5 1954 INDY20 MILDNQ LAN3 DAR8 SPR7 MIL6 DUQ1 PIK SYR ISF3 SAC15 PHX5 LVGDNQ 8th 858.5 1955 INDY19 MIL LAN SPR MIL DUQ PIK SYR ISF SAC PHXDNQ-0 1956 INDY2 MIL LAN DAR ATL SPR MIL DUQ SYR ISF SAC PHX 9th 800 1957 INDY1 LAN MIL DET ATL SPR MIL DUQ SYR ISF TRE SAC PHX 9th 1,000 1946 table only includes results of the six races run to "championship car" specifications. Points total includes the 71 races run to "big car" specifications.

Indianapolis 500 results

YearCarStartQualRankFinishLapsLedRetired19402814123.06413131920Flagged19412833118.211323300DNS1946323124.762731180Oil line19487615124.2661926340Clutch19491823127.8091730200Oil leak19502325131.5931330420Oil pressure19512512132.99821121350SpunT31952185135.73614 3rd2000Running195339137.5315 3rd*2003Running1954110137.99425201911Spun FS195586140.1876191340Transmission1956413142.05121 2nd2000Running1957913142.8126 1st200136RunningTotals1566140

Starts13Poles0Front Row1Wins1Top 54Top 104Retired8

* Shared drive with Duane Carter

References

External links

Sam Hanks - ChampCarStats.com