In Pixar’s Cars, the retired Hudson Hornet who becomes Lightning McQueen’s crew chief is Doc Hudson.
Doc is the town judge and physician in Radiator Springs, but his past is far more dramatic. He was once a celebrated racer known as the Fabulous Hudson Hornet and won three Piston Cups before a crash ended his racing career.
Doc initially dislikes Lightning because the young racer’s arrogance reminds him of how the racing world discarded Doc after his injury. He eventually agrees to train Lightning and becomes his crew chief, teaching him that racing requires more than speed and publicity.
Doc is voiced by Paul Newman in Cars. The character is based on the real Hudson Hornet, a car famous for its success in early stock-car racing. Doc’s story combines fictional racing history with the legacy of a genuine American automobile, making him one of the film’s clearest links between Cars’ fantasy world and automotive history.