In Pixar's Cars, Doc Hudson becomes the judge of Lightning McQueen's road-repair sentence.
Doc is the town's respected physician and former racing champion. After Lightning damages Radiator Springs' main road, Doc presides over the local legal decision requiring him to repave it. Doc initially treats Lightning as an arrogant outsider rather than a promising young racer.
The character's history is gradually revealed: he was the Fabulous Hudson Hornet, a three-time winner of the Piston Cup who was forced out of racing after a crash. His experience gives him a personal connection to Lightning's ambition and helps him understand the pressures of competition.
Paul Newman voiced Doc Hudson in Cars. The character does not appear as a living racer in Cars 2, and Cars 3 honors his legacy through Lightning's training and memories.