In Pixar’s Cars, former champion Doc Hudson lives in Radiator Springs as a mechanic.
Doc is initially presented as the town’s respected physician-like mechanic and judge. Lightning McQueen later discovers that Doc was once the Hudson Hornet, a famous race car who won three Piston Cups in the early 1950s. His racing career ended after a crash and a long recovery, followed by years of being overlooked by the racing world.
Doc dislikes McQueen’s arrogant attitude because it reminds him of how racing teams treated him after his injury. Their relationship changes when McQueen learns Doc’s history and begins to respect the older car. Doc eventually becomes McQueen’s crew chief and mentor.
Doc Hudson was voiced by Paul Newman, whose own career as an actor and racing enthusiast made the role especially notable. The character combines fictional racing history with the real-world reputation of the Hudson Hornet, an actual automobile model associated with early stock-car racing.