Just got word from Kevin Foley that Charlie Southgate passed away last week. Charlie was a former AMA National racer in the late 1960s and early ’70s, who went on to become a top-notch engine builder and tuners. Here’s what Kevin Wrote:

Charlie Southgate passed last week.

He was well known in the Nashville area and build us several super trick and fast YZ 80’s in ’77 and ’78. He used a TM 100 piston which worked out to 83cc and we did well at several NMA events in the southeast region.

I was able to print a copy of the photo you ran in Cycle News and hand deliver to his shop in Gallatin around 2 years ago.

The shop was “closed” but Tray Batey confirmed he was still getting mail there and Charlie and I connected on the phone.

I was surprised to learn he had attended a Trailblazer’s Banquet around 2000 or so.

He was quite a character and a wonderful part of this rather small world of motorcycles.

Below is an article a friend recently forwarded about Charlie in a local Nashville paper some years ago. This describes his shop perfectly as I recall it as a young racer.
https://www.nashvillescene.com/news/charlie-southgate—the-music-city-macgyver/article_f803341d-ed2f-5605-9a51-f70aee71fc74.html

The photos you choose for your stories may sometimes travel farther than one might think……..Charlie was happy to tell me about this photo and race.