In Pixar’s Cars, the Piston Cup champion who becomes Lightning McQueen’s mentor is Doc Hudson.
Doc is introduced as Radiator Springs’ doctor, but Lightning learns that he was once the Fabulous Hudson Hornet, a famous racer and three-time Piston Cup champion. Doc’s racing career ended after a serious crash and a period of neglect from the racing world.
Although Doc initially refuses to help Lightning, he eventually trains him and teaches him to value control, patience, and the support of a team. Doc’s mentorship is therefore based on both technical experience and a warning about the personal cost of treating racing as purely individual achievement.
Strip Weathers, also known as The King, is another important champion in Cars, but he is a different character. Chick Hicks is Lightning’s rival, while Jackson Storm belongs to Cars 3.