She works at Hot Topic
His heart, microscopic
She thinks that it’s love but to him, pawn shop
He listens to emo but Fat Mike’s his hero
His bank account’s zero
What comes next?

– “Punk Rock 101” by Bowling for Soup, the NHL 2004 version

Mike Burkett, the lead vocalist of NOFX during its four-decade run, will serve as the grand marshal for the Laughlin Desert Classic.

Besides being the grand marshal, he will also do a ridealong in Team Real Racing’s #3 Unlimited Truck.

“Punk rock and off-road racing make perfect sense together,” he stated. “They’re loud, dangerous, a little fucked up, and nobody involved wants to be told what to do. I’ve spent most of my life making noise and doing things my own way, so being grand marshal of the Laughlin Desert Classic sounds like a pretty fucking good time. I’m looking forward to hanging out with the racers and fans, waving the green flag, and seeing how much trouble we can get into in the desert.”

Better known as Fat Mike, he founded NOFX in 1983. The punk rock band enjoyed much success throughout the genre’s peak in the 1990s and 2000s, releasing 15 albums and 17 EPs with the 1994 album Punk in Drublic becoming a gold record. NOFX’s songs have also appeared in various titles like MX vs. ATV Untamed and Monster Energy Supercross 2.

After NOFX’s final lives in 2024, the documentary 40 Years of Fuckin’ Up about the band premeired in March and is being shown at theaters on a touring basis.

Other projects by Burkett include Fat Wreck Chords and the Punk Rock Museum. Founded in 1990, Fat Wreck Chords is a punk rock label that’s currently run by Hopeless Records. The Punk Rock Museum is located in Las Vegas north of Laughlin.

“Punk rock and off-road racing have way more in common than most people realize,” AORC boss Matt Martelli commented. “They were both built by people who didn’t wait for permission. They created their own culture, built their own machines, started their own companies, and did things their own way. Fat Mike has lived that ethos his entire career. Between NOFX, Fat Wreck Chords and what he has created with the Punk Rock Museum right here in Nevada, he is a perfect fit for the Laughlin Desert Classic. We’re stoked to have him as our grand marshal.”

Scheduled for October 16–17, the Laughlin Desert Classic is the final race of the inaugural American Off-Road Racing Championship.

Featured image credit: Sven Mandel / CC-BY-SA-4.0