Looking for information on my Dad

I found this site trying to find information about my dad. He used to race in North Carolina in the late 40's and early 50's. He than moved to the Chicago area in 1957 and raced there until about 1962. His name is Melvin Gladston and his car # was 52. I found a couple bits of information and one picture of him and his car thats about all I have found. I think he raced at Peace Haven speedway.Bowman Grey, Bennett, and Hickory in North Carolina and maybe a few more. In Chicago he race at Soldier Field. I was only 4 years old when he quit racing. He passed away in December of 1997 and now I was just trying to find information on his days of racing.I found a article written about him in the Lexington Dispatch dated June 8, 1956. Here is a link to it http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1734&dat=19560609&id=aRscAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KVEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4699,6173243 . If anyone knew Melvin Gladston and would like to share information they have I would very much like to hear it.

Thanks Jerry

Ireallydonot knowbutIknowsomebody onthis site willknowsomething-TigerTom,Randy Myersorsomebody.

I remember him . He came down to Raleigh a couple of times.

Jerry, here are a couple of photos you may not have seen. The first is his "Class Photo" from the 1951 NASCAR Yearbook which covers the 1950 season. The second is him racing through turns 3 & 4 at Bowman Gray in 1950. It was an Amateur race and he won the feature.
I posted the other two which you already have so others could see them and may recognize the car. They are from the 1952 NASCAR Yearbook showing Melvin's #52 in a Sportsman's race at Bowman Gray from 1951.

The 1951 Yearbook also says that he won 2 feature amateur races at Victory Stadium in Roanoke, and a 3rd place in a Sportsman's race at Martinsville June 18, 1950.

Thank you very much Robert for the pictures, and the information you posted. I had never seen those pictures before. I sent them to my sister and found out that she has been talking to you on your Flicker account, Her Name is Diane (AKA Rotten Rebel).

Again Thanks

Jerry

Glad to help, Jerry. My memory not being what it used to be, I waslucky I remembered where I saw those newer photos. But I can still swear I've seen at least one other photo of his Texaco Sportsman's car. And since these photos made it into the 1951 & 52 Yearbooks, it is a high probability there are more photos of Melvin in various track programs from those years. He probably raced at more tracks than you realize. We already know he raced at Bowman Gray, Peace Haven, Bennett,Victory Stadium, Martinsville, and possibly Raleigh. But it's just about a sure thing he also raced at Greensboro Fairgrounds, Tri-City Speedway in High Point, Occoneechee,North Wilkesboro, Charlotte, Draper, Danville Va., and maybe some of the SC tracks like Spartanburg. He could have even gone down tothe Daytona Beach races.Photos records of him could be in any of those old track programs.

So just keep looking and asking around. I'll keep my eye out for more about him.