At any given Sports Car Club of America™ event in the Southeast Division, if you’re unsure where to go or who to ask, you’ll likely hear the same advice: “Go find the lady with the purple hair.”
They mean Anna Neave Crissman.
Anna is the kind of leader every Region hopes to have, and every racer eventually comes to rely on. As Regional Executive for SCCA’s North Carolina Region and Divisional Administrator for Timing & Scoring across the Southeast, she operates at the center of the action, making sure events run smoothly while quietly solving problems most people never see.
Her impact has not gone unnoticed. In 2015, she was named SCCA® Worker of the Year in Timing & Scoring, one of the Club’s highest honors. But long before the title or the recognition, there was a kid at the track.
Originally from Greensboro, NC, Anna grew up in the sport. Her parents were SCCA members; her father built cars and raced while her mom volunteered, so weekends were spent surrounded by race cars, timing sheets, and the rhythm of the race day. By age 12, she was already working IMSA events, including the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
“So, it’s just one of those things that’s in my blood, race cars in general,” she says.
That sense of belonging still drives her today. It’s obvious in the way she leads, the way she mentors, and the way she shows up, again and again, wherever she is needed.
Often, she shows up after a long drive.
Her Volkswagen GTI, Velma, has carried her across the country to tracks like Road America, Homestead, and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, but Anna rarely takes the direct route. She builds in time to explore, often stopping at national parks or detouring to places she’s never seen.
“I like the travel,” she says. “I like getting to see new things. I like getting to go to new places. I like getting to go to new racetracks.”
And when she arrives, she’s easy to spot.
The purple hair started as a spontaneous decision at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs® at Daytona International Speedway. Now, it’s part of her identity and, unintentionally, part of the infrastructure of the paddock.
“People will walk up and say, ‘I was told to look for the lady with the purple hair,’” she says.
It makes her approachable. It makes her visible. And for many, it makes the first step into the SCCA feel less intimidating.
That matters to Anna. She’s deeply committed to making the sport welcoming, especially for women and newcomers. She leads with a clear expectation of respect and inclusion, and she’s quick to address anything that doesn’t align with that.
“If someone is not being welcoming, we shut that down immediately,” she explains – because for Anna, this is not just a club. “It’s a family,” she says.
It’s a family that shares tools, trailers, and time. A family that gathers around tables in the paddock, where Anna is just as likely to be known for her homemade brownies or pies as she is for her leadership.
Away from the track, she lives in Pittsboro, NC, with her husband and two cats. She also serves as Director of Clinical Operations at the UNC Adams School of Dentistry, a role she describes with a laugh as “herding cats.” Perhaps it’s not so different from race weekends, just a different kind of chaos.
Maybe that’s what makes Anna such an essential part of the SCCA. She understands the systems. She understands the people. She understands that what keeps everyone coming back is not just the racing.
It’s the connection.
So, when you find yourself at the track in SCCA’s Southeast Division, looking for direction, there’s a good chance you’ll hear it: Go find the lady with the purple hair.
When you do, you’ll understand why.
You can get involved trackside with the SCCA just like Anna. Here’s how.
Photo courtesy Anna Neave Crissman
