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The National El Camino Owners Association (NECOA) will be holding its 5th annual “El Camino Night” at Lee USA Speedway on Route 125 in Lee, New Hampshire on Friday, June 14. Over 35 owners of these unique “half car/half truck” vehicles — built between 1959 and 1987 — will be displaying their rides to the NASCAR race fans before they go on the oval track for “Parade Laps” where they will be introduced by Track Manager Bob Watson of the Lee Speedway. An exciting “Burn-Out Contest” will take place where the fans will choose the winner of a trophy for smoking the tires and leaving rubber on the track.
NECOA is an internet-based auto club with over 23,000 registered members in every state of the union and has chapters as far away as The Netherlands and Australia. In 2013, the club is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the merger of NECOA with El Camino Central, the renowned website which hosts the club members and activities. Similar gatherings are being held in multiple locations across the USA this summer, and the New England members will be holding another late summer event in Sturbridge Village, MA in conjunction with its long-time partner, the New England Chevelle and El Camino Association, headquartered in Shrewsbury MA.
In 2012, there were 27 cars at the Lee USA Speedway for this event and that number is expected to grow significantly due to the media coverage of the last gathering. El Caminos of all types have registered and are travelling from New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine to take part in this colorful show. Following the Friday night fun at the Lee Speedway, the El Camino owners will be having a Saturday morning breakfast at a diner in Essex Country, followed by a New England Coastal Cruise from Newburyport down through Rockport and Gloucester, with several stops for photos at scenic locations. A private tour of a local auto facility is being finalized for the members, who will finish up the day at Skip’s Hamburgers in Merrimack MA, where some of New England’s largest “cruise nights” at held every other Saturday.
Attendance is open to anyone who owns a Chevy El Camino or one of its GM sister vehicles, such as the GMC Sprint or Caballero.