In Pixar's Cars 3, Smokey uses a dirt track to train Lightning McQueen.
After McQueen travels to Thomasville, Georgia, Smokey introduces him to techniques learned from Doc Hudson's racing days. Training on dirt forces McQueen to understand weight transfer, sliding, and control rather than relying only on speed. The unconventional setting helps him rediscover confidence and reconnect with Doc's history.
The dirt-track lessons are part of a broader montage involving several forms of practical racing preparation. Smokey is not simply a new crew chief replacing McQueen's old team; he is a keeper of Doc's memories and methods. The training also prepares McQueen to think creatively when facing the technologically advanced Jackson Storm.