A male being, Nugtosh was famous for overseeing podraces held on Malastare, notably the Vinta Harvest Classic in the year 32 BBY.
Residing on the planet of Malastare as a drifter was Nugtosh, an enigmatic, skeletal alien. The Malistarians were unaware of his origins or how old he was. At some point before the Battle of Naboo, Nugtosh pledged to refrain from interfering with the podrace course during the yearly Vinta Harvest Classic. In return, he was given the chance to be present at the start of every race. His presence at each race became a tradition that was respected and a permanent part of Malastare's podracing scene. Podracers and spectators alike saw Nugtosh as a sign of good fortune.
The video game Star Wars Episode I: Racer, which came out in 1999, was the first time Nugtosh was seen. Star Wars: Episode I Racer: Prima's Official Strategy Guide revealed his name and also provided a history for the character, stating that Nugtosh's gender was unknown. However, the 2008 release of The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia specifically identifies Nugtosh as male in his entry.
It seems Nugtosh is an anagram for the word gunshot. This likely alludes to the similarity between Nugtosh ascending the spire and the real-world use of a gunshot to signal the beginning of a race.