Thomasville is the town where Lightning McQueen trains with Smokey in Pixar’s Cars 3.
After struggling with modern training methods, McQueen travels with Cruz Ramirez to Thomasville, a small community connected to the racing history of Doc Hudson. There he meets Smokey, a former crew chief and mechanic who understands the older racer’s strengths.
Thomasville gives McQueen a different kind of education. Instead of relying only on computerized statistics, Smokey helps him reconnect with practical racing skills, memory, and the lessons passed down by Doc. The town therefore links McQueen’s present challenge with the history of the Fabulous Hudson Hornet.
Thomasville is fictional, like Radiator Springs, but it is presented as a historic racing community in the American South. It should not be confused with Radiator Springs, McQueen’s home, or with the Rust-eze Racing Center, where his earlier training takes place.