In Pixar’s Cars 3, Smokey teaches Lightning McQueen about the Fabulous Hudson Hornet’s racing style.
Smokey is Doc Hudson’s former crew chief and longtime friend. Lightning meets him in Thomasville, a fictional Southern racing community connected to Doc’s past. Smokey explains how Doc raced before his career-ending crash and helps Lightning understand that Doc’s success came from intelligence, adaptability, and precision rather than only raw speed.
This part of the film expands Doc’s history beyond what the first Cars movie shows. Lightning learns that Doc had once coached younger racers and that his knowledge remained valuable even after his own racing career ended. Smokey’s stories help Lightning reconnect with Doc’s legacy while developing a new approach to competition.
Smokey is voiced by Chris Cooper. He is not the same character as Sarge, Fillmore, or Tex Dinoco, who are associated with other parts of the Cars world. The Thomasville sequence also introduces several veteran racers who represent different parts of Doc’s earlier life.