Henry Banks

Henry Edwin Banks (June 14, 1913 – December 18, 1994) was an American racing driver. He competed in various disciplines of open-wheel motorsport. Banks is best remembered for winning the 1950 AAA National Championship, and for his later career as a USAC race official.

Early life

Henry Banks was born in England, but brought up in Royal Oak, Michigan.<ref name="midget">Biography at the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame Template:Webarchive</ref> He was the son of an early European race-driver.

Driving career

Early career

Banks began competing in 1932, when he was 19 years old, and became successful in midget cars.

Banks was the first driver to pass the qualifying "rookie test" instituted at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway beginning in 1936.<ref name="midget" /> He also drove as a relief driver in 1937, 1939, and 1940, with a 21st-place finish in 1938.

Banks won the 1941 American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) championship in New England.

Post-war career and AAA Championship

After a break during the war, when he worked at Ford’s aero-engine division, Banks’ career took off. In 1947 he won 30 midget car races. In 1950, he was the AAA National Champion, winning a three-way battle for the title during the final race of the season. That same year, he came second in AAA National Midget points.

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.

Banks participated in three World Drivers' Championship races at Indianapolis. His best finish was sixth place,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and he scored no World Drivers' Championship points.

Post-driving life

File:Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum in 2017 - Racecars 34.jpg

Banks tested the first-ever turbine-powered car at Indianapolis in 1955

After Banks retired from competition, he occasionally tested other automobiles. Later, he became the USAC Director of Competitions. He died in Indianapolis in 1994.

Actor

File:Ralph DePalma, Henry Banks and Troy Ruttman 1952.jpg

Banks (center), with Ralph DePalma and Troy Ruttman in 1952

Banks appeared in two racing-related films during his career. The first was To Please A Lady, starring Clark Gable. The second was Roar of the Crowd, starring Howard Duff.

Awards and honors

Banks has been inducted into the following halls of fame:

• Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame (1982)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• Auto Racing Hall of Fame (1985)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame (1987)<ref name="midget" />
• Eastern Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame (1988)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• United States Auto Club (USAC) Hall of Fame (2013)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (2023)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Banks has been awarded the following honors:

• Automotive Hall of Fame Distinguished Service Citation (1978)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Motorsports career results

AAA Championship Car results

Year	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	Pos	Points
1946	INDY 27	LAN DNS	ATL	ISF	MIL	GOS										-	0
1947	INDY 24	MIL	LAN	ATL	BAI	MIL	GOS	MIL	PIK	SPR	ARL					-	0
1948	ARL 13	INDY DNQ	MIL	LAN	MIL	SPR	MIL	DUQ	ATL	PIK	SPR	DUQ				-	0
1949	ARL	INDY DNQ	MIL	TRE	SPR	MIL	DUQ	PIK	SYR	DET DNQ	SPR DNQ	LAN	SAC	DMR		-	0
1950	INDY 25	MIL 5	LAN 2	SPR DNQ	MIL 2	PIK	SYR DNQ	DET 1	SPR 18	SAC 3	PHX 12	BAY 4	DAR 3			1st	1,390
1951	INDY 6	MIL 11	LAN 10	DAR 7	SPR 4	MIL 5	DUQ 6	DUQ 5	PIK	SYR 6	DET 9	DNC 2	SJS 3	PHX 2	BAY 3	2nd	1,856.6
1952	INDY 19	MIL DNQ	RAL 10	SPR 7	MIL 4	DET 6	DUQ 7	PIK	SYR 8	DNC 8	SJS 17	PHX 5				10th	700
1953	INDY DNQ	MIL Wth	SPR	DET	SPR	MIL	DUQ	PIK	SYR	ISF	SAC	PHX				-	0
1954	INDY DNQ	MIL	LAN	DAR	SPR	MIL	DUQ	PIK	SYR	ISF	SAC	PHX	LVG			-	0

• 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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Indianapolis 500 results

Year	Car	Start	Qual	Rank	Finish	Laps	Led	Retired
1938	33	31	116.279	31	21	109	0	Rod bearing
1946	3	21	120.220	25	27	32	0	Pinion shaft
1947	43	26	120.923	18	24	36	0	Oil line
1950	12	21	129.646	29	25	112	0	Flagged
1951	1	17	133.899	12	6	200	0	Running
1952	2	12	135.962	12	19	184	0	Flagged
Totals						673	0

Starts	6
Poles	0
Front Row	0
Wins	0
Top 5	0
Top 10	1
Retired	3

FIA World Drivers' Championship results

(key)

Year	Entrant	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Template:Tooltip	Pts
1950	Indianapolis Race Cars	Maserati 8CL	Offenhauser 3.0 L4s	GBR	MON	500 Template:Small	SUI	BEL	FRA	ITA			NC	0
1951	Blue Crown Spark Plug / Hopkins	Moore	Offenhauser 4.5 L4	SUI	500 Template:Small	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	ITA	ESP		NC	0
1952	Blue Crown Spark Plug / Hopkins	Lesovsky	Offenhauser 4.5 L4	SUI	500 Template:Small	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	NED	ITA		NC	0
1953	Hopkins / Motor Racers	Lesovsky	Offenhauser 4.5 L4	ARG	500 Template:Small	NED	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	SUI	ITA	NC	0
1954	Hopkins / Motor Racers	Lesovsky	Offenhauser 4.5 L4	ARG	500 Template:Small	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	SUI	ITA	ESP	NC	0
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External links

• Henry Banks - ChampCarStats.com
• Template:Find a Grave
• Henry Banks - Motorsport Memorial
• Template:Racing-Reference driver