In Pixar’s Cars, which veteran racer is voiced by Paul Newman?

Paul Newman voices Doc Hudson in Pixar’s Cars.

Doc Hudson is the quiet physician of Radiator Springs, but the film reveals that he was once the Fabulous Hudson Hornet, a celebrated racer and three-time Piston Cup champion. His racing career ended after a crash, and he became bitter about the way the racing world moved on without him.

Newman was a particularly meaningful choice for the part because he had a major real-world connection to motorsport. He competed as a driver, co-owned racing teams, and supported racing organizations. That background gave Doc’s racing memories added resonance, although Doc is a fictional anthropomorphic 1951 Hudson Hornet.

Doc mentors Lightning McQueen after initially rejecting him. The character’s history is sometimes confused with The King’s, another veteran champion in the film, but Doc is the retired Hudson Hornet and The King is a Plymouth Superbird. Newman also reprised Doc’s voice in Cars 2 through archive material.