🇺🇸 Sam Hanks

Sam Hanks was an American driver who competed in Formula 1 between 1950 and 1957, accumulating eight starts across eight seasons. His Racer Rating of 7,271 places him among elite professionals; this level describes race winners at the very top of motorsport, drivers who beat and are beaten by established champions in the strongest fields. Hanks claimed one win and four podiums in that time, achieving an average finish position of fourth across classified starts. He drove primarily for Kurtis Kraft, which fielded him in seven of his eight entries.[1]

Hanks competed against a field of drivers rated at or near his own level. He finished ahead of Jimmy Bryan in four of five shared races; against Tony Bettenhausen, a driver rated slightly higher, he posted a 3–0 record in three encounters. He also recorded victories over Jim Rathmann, who slightly outrates him, winning two of three head-to-head contests. His single classified start in 1950 would have come before his sustained presence in the series, and he did not return until 1956; his most productive period saw him record one win and one podium in 1957, his final year of racing.[2]