In Pixar's Cars 3, Thomasville hosts Lightning McQueen's training with Smokey. The historic racing town is connected to Doc Hudson's earlier career and becomes the setting for Lightning's deeper lessons about competition.
After struggling to match Jackson Storm's speed, Lightning travels with Cruz Ramirez and learns about Doc's past. Smokey, Doc's former crew chief and longtime friend, helps Lightning understand that successful racing is not only about raw speed but also about adapting experience and finding a meaningful role.
Thomasville is presented as a place filled with racing history. Its older racers and training grounds connect the film's contemporary competition to the previous generation represented by Doc Hudson.
Thomasville is not Radiator Springs, where Lightning first meets Doc in Cars. Radiator Springs is Doc's later home, while Thomasville is the important historic racing location visited during Cars 3.