In Pixar's Cars 3, Lightning McQueen visits the veteran racing coach Smokey for advice.
Smokey lives in Thomasville, Georgia, a town connected with the older generation of racers. Lightning travels there after struggling to compete with Jackson Storm and learns about Doc Hudson's past and the methods that once made him successful.
Chris Cooper voices Smokey. The character serves as a link between Doc's racing career and Lightning's present challenge. Rather than teaching Lightning to copy modern technology, Smokey helps him understand how to use experience, strategy, and adaptability.
Thomasville also introduces several former racing figures, including Louise Nash, River Scott, and Junior Moon. Their stories broaden Cars 3 beyond Lightning's immediate rivalry with Storm.