Lightning McQueen visits Doc Hudson’s hometown, Thomasville, for training in Pixar’s Cars 3.
Thomasville is a fictional racing town associated with Doc Hudson’s early career. Lightning travels there with Cruz Ramirez after learning that Doc once trained and raced in the area. The visit gives Lightning access to old-school methods and reconnects him with Doc’s legacy.
At Thomasville Speedway, Lightning meets Smokey, Doc’s former crew chief and mentor. Smokey explains that Doc’s career ended after a crash and that the veteran racer later found happiness helping Lightning. This history changes Lightning’s understanding of what Doc wanted for him.
Thomasville is not Radiator Springs, where Doc served as the local judge and doctor. It is also distinct from the Rust-eze Racing Center, the modern facility where Lightning first trains. The town’s importance comes from Doc Hudson’s racing past.