From the mid-1930s onwards, Hanks was one of the most active and versatile drivers in the United States . He competed in races with midget cars (miniature racing cars), touring cars and champ cars and won several local and national championships. In 1953 he won the prestigious AAA (American Automobile Association) championship, the previous series of the CART series, including third place in the Indianapolis 500 . Hanks also made a name for himself in the NASCAR league.
In 1956 he finished second in Indianapolis and crowned his career with a victory at the Indy 500 in 1957 , at a time when the race was also part of the Formula 1 World Championship. During the interview with the winners he announced his retirement from active motorsport, but continued to work in this sector as an official. He died in 1994 shortly before his 80th birthday.