In Pixar's Cars, Strip Weathers is the reigning Piston Cup champion before Lightning McQueen's rookie season.
Strip Weathers, better known as The King, is the established champion at the center of the first film's racing storyline. He drives for the Dinoco team and represents experience, consistency, and sportsmanship in contrast with McQueen's early arrogance and Chick Hicks's aggressive tactics.
The King is voiced by Richard Petty, a real NASCAR legend whose career strongly informs the character. His design and status are a tribute to stock-car racing traditions, while the Dinoco sponsorship gives the fictional Piston Cup world a recognizable championship structure.
McQueen, The King, and Chick Hicks finish in a three-way tie after the final race, leading to a deciding race. McQueen ultimately chooses to help The King rather than take advantage of his crash, an important turning point in the film. Strip Weathers is therefore not the same character as Doc Hudson, whose racing career belongs to an earlier era.