In Pixar’s Cars 3, the training town where Lightning studies Doc Hudson’s methods is Thomasville.
Lightning McQueen travels to Thomasville after learning that Doc Hudson once trained there with Smokey and other racers. Smokey helps Lightning understand that Doc’s greatest strength was not simply speed; it was adapting his technique and using knowledge of the track.
Thomasville is presented as a historic racing community in the American South. Its old dirt track and local racing legends provide a contrast with the modern Rust-eze Racing Center, where data and simulation dominate Lightning’s initial training. The visit helps Lightning reconnect with Doc’s legacy.
Thomasville is not the same place as Radiator Springs, where Doc later lives and works. It is also separate from Thunder Hollow, the demolition-derby venue. The town’s name refers to its fictional setting in the Cars universe rather than a single clearly identified real-world city.