Editing Sam Hanks

{{Short description|American racing driver (1914–1994)}}
{{Infobox racing driver
| name              = Sam Hanks
| image             = Sam Hanks USAC circa 1957.jpg
| caption           = Hanks, circa 1957
| birth_name        = Samuel Dwight Hanks
| birth_date        = {{Birth date|1914|07|13}}
| birth_place       = [[Columbus, Ohio]], U.S.
| death_date        = {{Death date and age|1994|06|27|1914|07|13}}
| death_place       = [[Pacific Palisades, California]], U.S.
| titles            = [[AAA Contest Board|AAA West Coast]] [[Midget car racing|Midget Car]] (1946) <br/> [[AAA Contest Board|AAA National]] [[Midget car racing|Midget Car]] (1949) <br/> [[AAA Contest Board|AAA]] [[Championship Car]] ([[1953 AAA Championship Car season|1953]]) <br/> '''Major victories''' <br/> [[Indianapolis 500]] ([[1957 Indianapolis 500|1957]])
| module1 = 
  {{Infobox Champ Car driver|embed=yes
  | Total_Champ_Races = 43
  | Years_In_Champ    = 14
  | Best_Champ_Pos    = 1st ([[1953 AAA Championship Car season|1953]])
  | First_Champ_Race  = [[1940 AAA Championship Car season|1940]] [[1940 Indianapolis 500|Indianapolis 500]] ([[Indianapolis Motor Speedway|Indianapolis]])
  | Last_Champ_Race   = [[1957 USAC Championship Car season|1957]] [[1957 Indianapolis 500|Indianapolis 500]] ([[Indianapolis Motor Speedway|Indianapolis]])
  | First_Champ_Win   = [[1953 AAA Championship Car season|1953]] Springfield 100 ([[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|Springfield]])
  | Last_Champ_Win    = [[1957 USAC Championship Car season|1957]] [[1957 Indianapolis 500|Indianapolis 500]] ([[Indianapolis Motor Speedway|Indianapolis]])
  | Champ_Wins        = 4
  | Champ_Podiums     = 17
  | Champ_Poles       = 1
| module2 = 
  {{Infobox F1 driver|embed=yes
  | Years             = {{F1|1950}}–{{F1|1957}}
  | Team(s)           = [[Kurtis Kraft]], [[George Salih|Salih]]
  | Races             = 8
  | Championships     = 0
  | Wins              = 1
  | Podiums           = 4
  | Points            = 20
  | Poles             = 0
  | Fastest laps      = 0
  | First race        = [[1950 Indianapolis 500]]
  | First win         = [[1957 Indianapolis 500]]
  | Last race         = [[1957 Indianapolis 500]]
}}}}}}

'''Samuel Dwight Hanks''' (July 13, 1914 – June 27, 1994) was an American [[racing driver]] who won the [[1957 Indianapolis 500]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Sam Hanks |url=http://www.champcarstats.com/drivers/HanksSam.htm |access-date=2024-03-17 |website=www.champcarstats.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Allen |title=Sam Hanks |url=https://www.oldracingcars.com/driver/Sam_Hanks |access-date=2024-03-17 |website=OldRacingCars.com |language=en}}</ref> He was a [[barnstorming (sports)|barnstormer]], and raced [[Midget car racing|midget]] and [[American Championship car racing|Championship]] cars.

== 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.

== 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ctva.biz/US/Comedy/MrAdamsAndEve.htm|title=Mr Adams and Eve (1957–58)|website=The Classic TV Archive|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818033436/http://ctva.biz/US/Comedy/MrAdamsAndEve.htm|archive-date=2021-08-18|url-status=live|access-date=2021-06-12}}</ref>

== Later life ==

He drove the [[pace car]] at the [[Indianapolis 500]] from 1958 to 1963.<ref name=NMARHoF />

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]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://speednet.starnews.com/speednet/irl/99/may/0522sn_ddhanks.html|title=Indy 500 winner Hanks linked (maybe) to a presidential past|last=Davidson|first=Donald|authorlink=Donald Davidson (historian)|date=May 23, 1999|website=SpeedNet|publisher=[[Indianapolis Star]]/[[Indianapolis News|News]]|archive-url=https://archive.today/19991114234800/http://speednet.starnews.com/speednet/irl/99/may/0522sn_ddhanks.html|archive-date=1999-11-14|url-status=dead|access-date=2014-04-09}}</ref>

Having experienced ill health for three years, Hanks died at his home in [[Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles|Pacific Palisades, California]] on June 27, 1994, aged 79.<ref name=LAT />

== Awards and honors ==

Hanks has been inducted into the following halls of fame:
* [[Auto Racing Hall of Fame]] (1981)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sam Hanks |url=https://imsmuseum.org/fame_inductee/sam-hanks/ |access-date=2023-10-07 |website=IMS Museum |language=en-US}}</ref>
* [[National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame]] (1984)<ref name=NMARHoF />
* [[Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame]] (1984)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame - Hanks, Sam 1984 * |url=http://mmshof.org/index.php/inductees/inductees/193-sam-hanks |access-date=2023-10-07 |website=mmshof.org}}</ref>
* [[National Sprint Car Hall of Fame]] (1998)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sam Hanks |url=https://www.sprintcarhof.com/helper_pages/FileGet.aspx?id=115 |access-date=2023-10-07 |website=www.sprintcarhof.com}}</ref>
* [[Motorsports Hall of Fame of America]] (2000)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sam Hanks |url=https://www.mshf.com/hall-of-fame/inductees/sam-hanks.html |access-date=2023-10-07 |website=www.mshf.com}}</ref>
* [[West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame]] (2005)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hall of Fame – West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame |url=https://westcoaststockcarhalloffame.com/hall-of-fame/ |access-date=2023-10-07 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=StockcarReunion.com |url=http://www.stockcarreunion.com/inductees/2005inductees.html |access-date=2023-10-07 |website=www.stockcarreunion.com}}</ref>
* [[Alhambra High School (Alhambra, California)|Alhambra High School]] Hall of Fame<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alhambra High School Hall of Fame - Sam Hanks - 1931 |url=http://ahshalloffame.com/inductees/racing/27-sam-hanks-1931 |access-date=2023-10-07 |website=ahshalloffame.com}}</ref>

Hanks has been awarded the following honors:
* [[Automotive Hall of Fame]] Distinguished Service Citation (1971)<ref>{{Cite web |title=» Sam Hanks {{!}} Automotive Hall of Fame |url=https://www.automotivehalloffame.org/honoree/sam-hanks/ |access-date=2023-10-07 |website=www.automotivehalloffame.org}}</ref>

== Motorsports career results ==

=== AAA/USAC Championship Car results ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
! Year
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
! 10
! 11
! 12
! 13
! 14
! 15
! Pos
! Points
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1946 AAA Championship Car season|1946]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1946 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>31</small>
| [[Langhorne Speedway|LAN]]
| [[Atlanta 500 Classic|ATL]]
| [[Indiana State Fairgrounds|ISF]]
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]
| [[Good Time Park|GOS]]
|colspan=9|
! -
! 0
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1947 AAA Championship Car season|1947]]
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[1947 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]
| [[Langhorne Speedway|LAN]]
| [[Atlanta 500 Classic|ATL]]
| [[Bainbridge Township, Ohio|BAI]]
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]
| [[Good Time Park|GOS]]
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]
| [[Pikes Peak International Hill Climb|PIK]]
| [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]
| [[Arlington, Texas|ARL]]
|colspan=4|
! -
! 0
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1948 AAA Championship Car season|1948]]
| [[Arlington, Texas|ARL]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1948 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>26</small>
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]
| [[Langhorne Speedway|LAN]]
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]
| [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]
| [[DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack|DUQ]]
| [[Atlanta 500 Classic|ATL]]
| [[Pikes Peak International Hill Climb|PIK]]
| [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]
| [[DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack|DUQ]]
|colspan=3|
! -
! 0
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1949 AAA Championship Car season|1949]]
| [[Arlington, Texas|ARL]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1949 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>30</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
| [[Trenton Speedway|TRE]]
| [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack|DUQ]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
| [[Pikes Peak International Hill Climb|PIK]]
| [[Great New York State Fair|SYR]]
| [[Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway|DET]]
| [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]
| [[Langhorne Speedway|LAN]]
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[California State Fairgrounds Race Track|SAC]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
| [[Del Mar racetrack|DMR]]<br><small>DNP</small>
|colspan=1|
!-
!0
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1950 AAA Championship Car season|1950]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1950 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>30</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
| [[Langhorne Speedway|LAN]]
| [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]
| [[Pikes Peak International Hill Climb|PIK]]
| [[Great New York State Fair|SYR]]
| [[Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway|DET]]
| [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]
| [[California State Fairgrounds Race Track|SAC]]
| [[Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix|PHX]]
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[Bay Meadows Racetrack|BAY]]<br><small>2</small>
| [[Darlington Raceway|DAR]]
|colspan=2|
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 23rd
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 240
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1951 AAA Championship Car season|1951]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1951 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>12</small>
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]
| [[Langhorne Speedway|LAN]]
| [[Darlington Raceway|DAR]]
| [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack|DUQ]]<br><small>5</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack|DUQ]]<br><small>3</small>
| [[Pikes Peak International Hill Climb|PIK]]
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[Great New York State Fair|SYR]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway|DET]]<br><small>5</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| [[Littleton, Colorado|DNC]]<br><small>10</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[San Jose, California|SJS]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
| [[Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix|PHX]]
| [[Bay Meadows Racetrack|BAY]]
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 16th
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 421.4
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1952 AAA Championship Car season|1952]]
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[1952 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[Raleigh Speedway|RAL]]<br><small>18</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small>14</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway|DET]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack|DUQ]]<br><small>2</small>
| [[Pikes Peak International Hill Climb|PIK]]
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Great New York State Fair|SYR]]<br><small>12</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[Littleton, Colorado|DNC]]<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[San Jose, California|SJS]]<br><small>5</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[XM Satellite Radio Indy 200|PHX]]<br><small>2</small>
|colspan=3|
!style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3rd
!style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 1,390
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1953 AAA Championship Car season|1953]]
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[1953 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small>10</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway|DET]]<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small>22</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| [[DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack|DUQ]]<br><small>1</small>
| [[Pikes Peak International Hill Climb|PIK]]
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[Great New York State Fair|SYR]]<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[Indiana State Fair|ISF]]<br><small>5</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[California State Fairgrounds Race Track|SAC]]<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[XM Satellite Radio Indy 200|PHX]]<br><small>3</small>
|colspan=3|
!style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1st
!style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1,659.5
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1954 AAA Championship Car season|1954]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1954 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>20</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[Langhorne Speedway|LAN]]<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| [[Darlington Raceway|DAR]]<br><small>8</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]<br><small>7</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small>6</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| [[DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack|DUQ]]<br><small>1</small>
| [[Pikes Peak International Hill Climb|PIK]]
| [[Great New York State Fair|SYR]]
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[Indiana State Fair|ISF]]<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[California State Fairgrounds Race Track|SAC]]<br><small>15</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[XM Satellite Radio Indy 200|PHX]]<br><small>5</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[IZOD IndyCar World Championships|LVG]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
|colspan=2|
!style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 8th
!style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 858.5
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1955 AAA Championship Car season|1955]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1955 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>19</small>
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]
| [[Langhorne Speedway|LAN]]
| [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]
| [[DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack|DUQ]]
| [[Pikes Peak International Hill Climb|PIK]]
| [[Great New York State Fair|SYR]]
| [[Indiana State Fair|ISF]]
| [[California State Fairgrounds Race Track|SAC]]
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[XM Satellite Radio Indy 200|PHX]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
|colspan=4|
!-
!0
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1956 USAC Championship Car season|1956]]
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[1956 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>2</small>
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]
| [[Langhorne Speedway|LAN]]
| [[Darlington Raceway|DAR]]
| [[Lakewood Speedway|ATL]]
| [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]
| [[DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack|DUQ]]
| [[Great New York State Fair|SYR]]
| [[Indiana State Fair|ISF]]
| [[California State Fairgrounds Race Track|SAC]]
| [[XM Satellite Radio Indy 200|PHX]]
|colspan=3|
!style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 9th
!style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 800
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1957 USAC Championship Car season|1957]]
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| [[1957 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>1</small>
| [[Langhorne Speedway|LAN]]
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]
| [[Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway|DET]]
| [[Lakewood Speedway|ATL]]
| [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]
| [[DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack|DUQ]]
| [[Great New York State Fair|SYR]]
| [[Indiana State Fair|ISF]]
| [[Trenton Speedway|TRE]]
| [[California State Fairgrounds Race Track|SAC]]
| [[XM Satellite Radio Indy 200|PHX]]
|colspan=2|
!style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 9th
!style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 1,000
|}
* 1946 table only includes results of the six races run to "[[Championship Car|championship car]]" specifications. Points total includes the 71 races run to "[[Sprint car racing|big car]]" specifications.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1946 AAA National Championship Trail |url=http://www.champcarstats.com/year/1946.htm |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=www.champcarstats.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Capps |first=Capps |date=October 2009 |title=The Curious Case of the 1946 Season: An Inconvenient Championship |url=http://forix.autosport.com/8w/rvm/rvm-vol07-no02.pdf |journal=Rear View Mirror |volume=7 |issue=2 |pages=1–16}}</ref>

=== Indianapolis 500 results ===

{{col-begin|width=auto}}
{{col-break}}
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Year
!Car
!Start
!Qual
!Rank
!Finish
!Laps
!Led
!Retired
|-
![[1940 Indianapolis 500|1940]]
|28
|14
|123.064
|13
|13
|192
|0
|Flagged
|-
![[1941 Indianapolis 500|1941]]
|28
|33
|118.211
|32
|33
|0
|0
|DNS
|-
![[1946 Indianapolis 500|1946]]
|32
|3
|124.762
|7
|31
|18
|0
|Oil line
|-
![[1948 Indianapolis 500|1948]]
|76
|15
|124.266
|19
|26
|34
|0
|Clutch
|-
![[1949 Indianapolis 500|1949]]
|18
|23
|127.809
|17
|30
|20
|0
|Oil leak
|-
![[1950 Indianapolis 500|1950]]
|23
|25
|131.593
|13
|30
|42
|0
|Oil pressure
|-
![[1951 Indianapolis 500|1951]]
|25
|12
|132.998
|21
|12
|135
|0
|SpunT3
|-
![[1952 Indianapolis 500|1952]]
|18
|5
|135.736
|14
|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| '''3rd'''
|200
|0
|Running
|-
![[1953 Indianapolis 500|1953]]
|3
|9
|137.531
|5
|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| '''3rd*'''
|200
|3
|Running
|-
![[1954 Indianapolis 500|1954]]
|1
|10
|137.994
|25
|20
|191
|1
|Spun FS
|-
![[1955 Indianapolis 500|1955]]
|8
|6
|140.187
|6
|19
|134
|0
|Transmission
|-
![[1956 Indianapolis 500|1956]]
|4
|13
|142.051
|21
|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| '''2nd'''
|200
|0
|Running
|-
![[1957 Indianapolis 500|1957]]
|9
|13
|142.812
|6
|style="background:#ffffbf;"| '''1st'''
|200
|136
|Running
|-
|colspan=6|'''Totals'''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/events/indy500/history/historical-stats/driver-stats/drivers/sam-hanks|title=Sam Hanks Indianapolis 500 stats|website=IndianapolisMotorSpeedway.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190801034144/https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/events/indy500/history/historical-stats/driver-stats/drivers/sam-hanks|archive-date=2019-08-01|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|1566
|140
|
|}
{{col-break|gap=1em}}
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Starts
|13
|-
!Poles
|0
|-
!Front Row
|1
|-
!Wins
|1
|-
!Top 5
|4
|-
!Top 10
|4
|-
!Retired
|8
|}
{{col-end}}
<nowiki>*</nowiki> Shared drive with [[Duane Carter]]

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

* [http://www.champcarstats.com/drivers/HanksSam.htm Sam Hanks - ChampCarStats.com]
* {{Racing-Reference driver|Sam_Hanks}}

{{S-start}}
{{Succession box|before=[[Pat Flaherty (racing driver)|Pat Flaherty]]|title=[[List of Indianapolis 500 winners|Indianapolis 500 Winner]]|years=[[1957 Indianapolis 500|1957]]|after=[[Jimmy Bryan]]}}
{{S-end}}

{{American open-wheel car racing champions}}
{{Indy 500 winners}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hanks, Sam}}
[[Category:1914 births]]
[[Category:1994 deaths]]
[[Category:Racing drivers from Columbus, Ohio]]
[[Category:Racing drivers from Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Champ Car champions]]
[[Category:Indianapolis 500 drivers]]
[[Category:Indianapolis 500 winners]]
[[Category:AAA Championship Car drivers]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:Formula One race winners]]
[[Category:National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:USAC Championship Car drivers]]
[[Category:USAC Stock Car drivers]]
[[Category:Alhambra High School (Alhambra, California) alumni]]