Henry Banks

Henry Banks
Banks, circa 1951
BornHenry Edwin Banks
(1913-06-14)June 14, 1913
Croydon, Surrey, England
DiedDecember 18, 1994(1994-12-18) (aged 81)
Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
Championship titles
AAA Championship Car (1950)
Champ Car career
43 races run over 15 years
Best finish1st (1950)
First race1935 Syracuse 100 (Syracuse)
Last race1952 Phoenix 100 (Phoenix)
First win1950 Detroit 100 (Detroit)
Wins Podiums Poles
1 9 1
Formula One World Championship career
Active years1950–1954
TeamsMaserati, Moore, Lesovsky
Entries5 (3 starts)
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums0
Career points0
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
First entry1950 Indianapolis 500
Last entry1954 Indianapolis 500

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. 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. 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.[citation needed]

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, and he scored no World Drivers' Championship points.

Post-driving life

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

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:

Banks has been awarded the following honors:

Motorsports career results

Complete AAA Championship Car results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Pos Points Ref
1935 Michel de Baets INDY HAM SPR SYR
12		 ALT
9		 LAN 26th 20
Lawrence Martz ALT
DNQ
1936 Ralph DePalma INDY
DNQ		 GOS SYR
11		 NC 0
Louis Kimmel ROR
20
1937 Louis Kimmel INDY
DNQ		 ROR
23		 SYR 32nd 14
1938 Louis Kimmel INDY
21		 SYR NC 0
1939 Bill Cheesman INDY
DNQ		 23rd 38.5
Leon Duray INDY
10*		 MIL SYR
1940 Bill Cheesman INDY
DNQ		 SPR SYR NC 0
1946 Lou Rassey INDY
27		 LAN
DNQ		 ATL ISF MIL GOS NC 0
1947 Federal Engineering INDY
24		 MIL LAN ATL BAI MIL GOS MIL PIK SPR ARL NC 0
1948 Lou Fageol ARL
13		 NC 0
Federal Engineering INDY
DNQ		 MIL LAN MIL SPR MIL DUQ ATL PIK SPR DUQ
1949 Federal Engineering ARL INDY
DNQ		 MIL TRE SPR MIL DUQ PIK SYR DET
DNQ		 NC 0
Ray Carter SPR
DNQ		 LAN SAC DMR
1950 Indianapolis Racing Cars INDY
25		 1st 1,390
Lou Moore MIL
5		 LAN
2		 SPR
DNQ		 MIL
2		 PIK SYR
DNQ		 DET
1		 SPR
18		 SAC
3		 PHX
12		 BAY
4		 DAR
3
1951 Lou Moore 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 Lou Moore 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 Lindsey Hopkins INDY
DNQ		 MIL
Wth		 SPR DET SPR MIL DUQ PIK SYR ISF SAC PHX NC 0
1954 Lindsey Hopkins INDY
DNQ		 MIL LAN DAR SPR MIL DUQ PIK SYR ISF SAC PHX LVG NC 0

* shared drive with Billy Devore, received 38.5 points.

Indianapolis 500 results

FIA World Drivers' Championship results

(key)

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

References

  1. 1 2 3 Biography at the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame Archived March 13, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ↑ "Henry Banks". www.champcarstats.com. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
  3. ↑ "Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame - Banks, Henry 1982 *". www.mmshof.org. Retrieved 2023-10-05.
  4. ↑ "Henry Banks". IMS Museum. Retrieved 2023-10-05.
  5. ↑ "Eastern Motorsports Press Association - Hall of Fame A thru L". empamedia.com. Retrieved 2023-10-05.
  6. ↑ "Eastern Motorsports Press Association - Hall of Fame". empamedia.com. Retrieved 2023-10-05.
  7. ↑ "HENRY BANKS - USAC HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2013 - USAC Racing". usacracing.com. Retrieved 2023-10-05.
  8. ↑ "Henry Banks". www.mshf.com. Retrieved 2023-10-05.
  9. ↑ "» Henry Banks | Automotive Hall of Fame". www.automotivehalloffame.org. Retrieved 2023-10-05.
  10. ↑ "Henry Banks – 1935 AAA Champ Car Series Results". Racing-reference.info. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  11. ↑ "Henry Banks – 1936 AAA Champ Car Series Results". Racing-reference.info. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  12. ↑ "Henry Banks – 1937 AAA Champ Car Series Results". Racing-reference.info. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  13. ↑ "Henry Banks – 1938 AAA Champ Car Series Results". Racing-reference.info. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  14. ↑ "Henry Banks – 1939 AAA Champ Car Series Results". Racing-reference.info. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  15. ↑ "1939 International 500". Racing-reference.info. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  16. ↑ "Henry Banks – 1940 AAA Champ Car Series Results". Racing-reference.info. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  17. ↑ "Henry Banks – 1946 AAA Champ Car Series Results". Racing-reference.info. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  18. ↑ "Henry Banks – 1947 AAA Champ Car Series Results". Racing-reference.info. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  19. ↑ "Henry Banks – 1948 AAA Champ Car Series Results". Racing-reference.info. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  20. ↑ "Henry Banks – 1949 AAA Champ Car Series Results". Racing-reference.info. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  21. ↑ "Henry Banks – 1950 AAA Champ Car Series Results". Racing-reference.info. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  22. ↑ "Henry Banks – 1951 AAA Champ Car Series Results". Racing-reference.info. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  23. ↑ "Henry Banks – 1952 AAA Champ Car Series Results". Racing-reference.info. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  24. ↑ "Henry Banks – 1953 AAA Champ Car Series Results". Racing-reference.info. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  25. ↑ "Henry Banks – 1954 AAA Champ Car Series Results". Racing-reference.info. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  26. ↑ "Henry Banks – AAA / USAC Champ Car Series Results (Indianapolis Motor Speedway)". Racing-reference.info. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  27. ↑ "Henry Banks – Involvement". StatsF1. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  28. ↑ "Detail – Tipo 8 CL". barchetta.cc. Retrieved April 24, 2019.