In Pixar’s Cars, Doc Hudson is the race car nicknamed “The Fabulous Hudson Hornet.” He is a 1951 Hudson Hornet and a former champion who later serves as Radiator Springs’s doctor and judge.
Doc’s racing history is gradually revealed after Lightning McQueen arrives in town. He won three Piston Cups and was a major competitor in the early years of stock-car racing. A crash ended his career, and he became embittered after the racing world moved on without him.
The Fabulous Hudson Hornet is based on a real Hudson Hornet, a car that achieved notable success in early NASCAR competition. The film adapts that history into Doc’s fictional biography while giving him a personal connection to the town.
Paul Newman provided Doc’s voice in Cars. Doc’s number is 51, matching the year 1951 associated with the Hudson Hornet model, while Lightning McQueen races with number 95.