Which retired racing champion does Paul Newman voice in Pixar's Cars?

Paul Newman voices Doc Hudson, the retired racing champion in Pixar's Cars.

Doc is a respected physician in Radiator Springs, but he previously raced as the Fabulous Hudson Hornet. His history includes three Piston Cup championships before a crash ended his racing career and caused him to be forgotten by much of the racing world.

Doc initially resents Lightning McQueen's careless attitude and orders him to repair the damaged road. As Lightning learns about the town, Doc becomes his mentor and teaches him that racing skill includes patience, control, and respect for others.

Doc Hudson is distinct from Strip Weathers, known as The King, and Chick Hicks, both active competitors in the film's Piston Cup storyline. Paul Newman supplied Doc's voice in Cars; Doc does not return as a living character in the later main films.