Allen Dale "Sammy" Sessions (September 10, 1935 – December 17, 1977) was an American race car driver. In 1972, he finished 4th in the

Indianapolis 500 The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly shortened to Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indian ...

and won the USAC division title.

Early life

Sessions was born in

Nashville, Michigan Nashville is a village in Barry County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,537 at the 2020 census. The township exists largely within Castleton Township, with a small portion extending south into Maple Grove Township. History ...

Career

He drove in the USAC

Championship Car American open-wheel car racing, generally and commonly known as Indy car racing, is a category of professional automobile racing in the United States. As of 2025, the top-level American open-wheel racing championship is sanctioned by IndyCar a ...

series, racing in the 1965-1975 seasons with 62 starts, including the

in 1968-1973 and 1975. He finished in the top ten 21 times, with his best finish in 4th position on 7 occasions. Based on information in "Donald Davidson's Indianapolis 500 Mile Race Annual 1974," Sessions was not given a chance to qualify for the 1974 Indy 500. Because of the "fuel crisis," Qualifications were cut to two days in 1974. May 11 was a short day of qualifying due to weather; on May 18 qualifications began about 15 minutes late due to administrative delays. Sam Sessions was at the line with engine running on May 18 when 6PM arrived. There were thirty-three cars in the field, but not everyone who entered in 1974 had a chance to qualify. Sessions was also the 1972 USAC Sprint Car Series Champion.

Death and legacy

Sessions died in a snowmobile racing accident on the big half-mile oval in

Alexandria, Minnesota Alexandria is a city in and the county seat of Douglas County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 14,335 as of the 2020 census. I-94 passes through Alexandria, along with Minnesota State Highways 27 and 29. It is south of Lake ...

. He was posthumously inducted into the Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1982.

Indianapolis 500 results

References

1935 births 1977 deaths Indianapolis 500 drivers People from Barry County, Michigan Racing drivers from Michigan {{US-autoracing-bio-stub A. J. Foyt Enterprises drivers Sports deaths in Minnesota