Doc Hudson becomes Lightning McQueen’s mentor in Pixar’s Cars.
Doc is the respected physician and judge of Radiator Springs, but he is also the Hudson Hornet, a three-time Piston Cup champion. He initially hides his racing past because a crash ended his career and left him bitter about how the racing world treated him.
After Lightning learns to respect Radiator Springs, Doc agrees to coach him. Doc’s history reflects the real Hudson Hornet’s importance in early NASCAR, where the car won three consecutive NASCAR Grand National championships from 1951 through 1953. Paul Newman voiced Doc in the first Cars film and Cars 3.