Editing Sam Hanks (section)

== Racing career ==

Hanks was born in [[Columbus, Ohio]] and lived in [[Alhambra, California]] from the age of six.<ref name=NSCHoF>{{cite web|url=https://www.sprintcarhof.com/helper_pages/FileGet.aspx?id=115|title=Sam Hanks|website=[[National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190619150429/https://www.sprintcarhof.com/helper_pages/FileGet.aspx?id=115|archive-date=2019-06-19|url-status=live}}</ref>  He attended [[Alhambra High School (Alhambra, California)|Alhambra High School]].<ref name=LAT>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-06-29-sp-9812-story.html|title=Hanks, 79, winner of '57 Indy 500, dies|last=Glick|first=Shav|date=June 29, 1994|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191222060644/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-06-29-sp-9812-story.html|archive-date=2019-12-22|url-status=live}}</ref>

Hanks won his first championship in 1937 on the [[West Coast of the United States|West Coast]] in the American Midget Association (AMA).  He barnstormed the country, racing on the [[board track]]s at [[Soldier Field]] in [[Chicago]].  Hanks reportedly won the first two board track races at Soldier Field in 1939.<ref name=NMARHoF>{{cite web|url=http://www.worthyofhonor.com/Inductees/Sam_Hanks.htm|title=Sam Hanks|website=[[National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205190112/http://www.worthyofhonor.com/Inductees/Sam_Hanks.htm|archive-date=2012-02-05|url-status=dead}}</ref>  He won the 1940 VFW [[Motor City Speedway]] championship in [[Detroit]]. During the [[World War II|Second World War]], Hanks served in the [[United States Army Air Corps|Army Air Corps]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=RetroIndy: Indy 500 drivers who served in the military |url=https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/motor/indy-500/2019/05/23/retroindy-indy-500-drivers-served-military-war-indianapolis-500-history/3539022002/ |access-date=2023-06-13 |website=The Indianapolis Star |language=en-US}}</ref>

[[File:Indy500winningcar1957-1958.JPG|thumb|left|Hanks' winning car from the 1957 Indianapolis 500]]

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 [[American Automobile Association|AAA]] National Midget champion.  He won the [[1953 AAA Championship Car season|1953 AAA National Championship]] in the ''Bardahl Special''.  He won the 1956 Pacific Coast championship in the [[United States Auto Club|USAC]] Stock cars.

Hanks considered retiring following the [[1956 Indianapolis 500]], but agreed to return for the [[1957 Indianapolis 500|1957 race]] at the urging of car owner [[George Salih]].<ref name=LAT /> 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 [[List of Indianapolis 500 winners|winner at Indy]] and announced his retirement from racing in [[victory lane|Victory Circle]] ([[Tony Kanaan]] would win his first Indy in his 12th Indy 500 appearance in 2013).<ref name=NMARHoF />  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.<ref name=LAT /><ref>[http://www.autoweek.com/article/20130527/INDYCAR/130529796 Indianapolis 500 win worth $2.35 million to Tony Kanaan], ''Autoweek'', May 27, 2013, retrieved May 24, 2024</ref>

=== World Drivers' Championship career ===

The [[AAA Contest Board|AAA]]/[[United States Auto Club|USAC]]-sanctioned Indianapolis 500 was included in the [[Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile|FIA]] [[List of Formula One World Drivers' Champions|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 Contest Board|AAA]]/[[United States Auto Club|USAC]] [[List of American open-wheel racing national champions|National Championship]].

Hanks participated in eight World Drivers' Championship races at Indianapolis. He won once, and finished in the [[podium#In_motorsport|top three]] four times.<ref name=":0" /> He scored 20 World Drivers' Championship points.