In Pixar’s Cars 3, Chris Cooper voices Smokey, the former racer who trains Lightning McQueen.
Smokey lives in Thomasville, Georgia, and is part of Doc Hudson’s old racing circle. He helps Lightning understand that Doc’s greatest achievement was not merely winning races but helping other racers improve. Smokey therefore becomes a key link between Doc’s past and Lightning’s future.
Chris Cooper’s performance gives Smokey a calm, experienced voice that contrasts with Jackson Storm’s confidence and Lightning’s frustration. Smokey also explains how Doc adapted his racing style after suffering a career-ending crash.
Smokey can be confused with other veteran racing characters in the series, including The King and Doc Hudson. Unlike those characters, Smokey is introduced in Cars 3 as a mentor from Doc’s earlier racing community.