West Texas to Carlsbad, NM

This was told to me by my mother and my uncle.  Sometime in the summer of 1952 or 1953 my family was in a two car caravan going from Texas to California.   At the time, it was fashionable to have a spotlight like police cars on your car.  The lead car was my mom and dad.  The second car was my dad’s childhood friend to whom I refer to as my uncle, but he is just a family friend.
My mother said they were traveling at night, the time was about 3 am. This sighting occurred between midnight and 3 am. She kept waking up and noticed a bright reddish orange light at a distance. It seemed to be tracking the cars. The road was a two lane road somewhere between Pecos, Texas and Carlsbad, NM.
She finally woke up at 3 am and told my dad that that light has stayed right along with them for at least two hours and many miles. She said no way it could be a water tower beacon after so much time had elapsed. He would speed up, it would speed up. He would slow down, it would seemingly slow down.
Finally, they stopped in the middle of the dark desolate road. My uncle in the car behind stopped and they all stood in the middle of the road wondering what in the heck the thing could be. So, my uncle set his spotlight on the object, and it took off and away from them at breakneck speed. They were all horrified and amazed, but continued their trip to California.
When they arrived at Long Beach, California, my mother said she bought a newspaper and read an article that the day before something flew over several sunbathers on the back that same day.
My dad never wanted to discuss it. Years later, I asked my uncle about it and he said it was indeed a true experience and it happened the way my mother told me.
Source of report indicates that the date of the incident is approximate.  PD