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AUBURN, Ala. , June 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Anita Millican was the first woman ever licensed as an IndyCar Mechanic in 1980 and the first to go over the wall as a member of the pit crew. She did so as a jackman.
Anita, along with her husband Howard, were also the first and surely the only to raise a skunk at the racetrack. They named the skunk Trouble. The trio are celebrated in a new children's book, " The Trouble with Howard " written by racing veteran Lee Anne Patterson with illustrations by racing artist Roger Warrick .
Howard and Anita Millican were innovative racers that were the first to cut an IndyCar in half and create a flowbench to study aero. They also invented the shock dyno. Their work literally sent shockwaves throughout the industry.
They have a storied history with Howard as a driver racing sprint cars and together as mechanics and fabricator in IndyCar during the most inventive era of the sport working with many of the greats including Gurney, Foyt, and several Unsers. True story - in route to a race, they rescued a baby skunk from the side of the road. Finding a baby doll bottle, they started feeding him from one race to the next.
As he grew, Trouble lived up to his name digging in toolboxes, diving into coolers and making nests in awkward places. This real-life story has been crafted into a delightful new children's book by Patterson. The story not only celebrates ponytails in the pits, but themes of sportsmanship and scenes of life .