Vintage Drive Marks Route 66 Centennial Through McKinley County

On January 2, a fleet of nine classic cars completed a segment of The Drive Home VII, a cross-country run celebrating the 100th anniversary of Route 66. The convoy set out from Santa Monica and followed the official Route 66 itinerary, making planned New Mexico stops that included the El Rancho Hotel in Gallup before continuing toward the Neon Sign Museum in Albuquerque. Vehicles in the fleet included a 1969 Camaro SS, a 1965 Country Squire, a 1969 Mercury Cougar convertible and a 1952 Chevrolet two-door, among others.

For McKinley County residents, the run offered more than a photo opportunity. Heritage-driven traffic like this can bring visitors into downtown Gallup, increasing business for small restaurants, motels and museums that depend on Route 66 tourism. The El Rancho Hotel, a longstanding stop on the route, drew attention that can translate into short-term spending and renewed interest in local preservation efforts.

At the same time, such events underscore public-safety and public-health considerations. Increased roadside crowds and parked cars along narrow historic corridors create challenges for traffic control, emergency response access and pedestrian safety. Vintage cars, which often lack modern emissions controls, also raise questions about localized air quality and environmental impacts when repeated events are held along the corridor. Organizers and local officials may need to balance celebration with measures that protect residents, workers and visitors, including clearly marked viewing areas, temporary traffic controls and advance public notices.

There is a social-equity dimension as well. Route 66 passes through tribal lands and economically varied communities in McKinley County; heritage tourism can deliver economic benefits, but those benefits are not always evenly distributed. Sustained community engagement and policies that prioritize local hiring, accessible programming and preservation funding can help ensure that celebrations translate into lasting advantages for residents.

For those who wanted to view the cars during this run, the El Rancho Hotel in Gallup served as a scheduled stop; the convoy continued on toward Albuquerque’s Neon Sign Museum. As anniversaries and similar drives recur, local leaders and community groups will face decisions about permitting, traffic safety, environmental mitigation and how to channel tourism dollars into equitable, community-centered preservation of the Route 66 legacy.