In Pixar's Cars 3, Smokey trains Lightning McQueen at the Thomasville Speedway.
Smokey is a former crew chief and mechanic who worked with Doc Hudson during Doc's racing career. After McQueen's crash and struggles against the younger Jackson Storm, Cruz Ramirez takes him to Thomasville, where Smokey helps him understand Doc's history and adapt his approach to racing.
Smokey does not simply teach McQueen to drive faster. He emphasizes learning from experience, using the track intelligently, and understanding what makes a racer distinctive. The training also helps McQueen move beyond trying to copy the newest high-tech competitors.
Doc Hudson is central to the story but is deceased before the events of Cars 3. Louise Nash is another Thomasville racing legend who appears in the film, while The King belongs to an earlier part of McQueen's career.