Doc Hudson

*"You got a lot of stuff, kid."*
―Doc Hudson[src]
**Hudson Hornet**, known as **The Fabulous Hudson Hornet**, later renamed **Doc Hudson** was a former dirt track racer and both the doctor and judge of Radiator Springs. He was the crew chief of Lightning McQueen.

As Radiator Springs' resident judge at Traffic Court, He makes his lofty pronouncements from the height of his podium. Doc is fiercely protective of the town. Never really one for light sentences, he rants about letting criminals rust in the impound. If any vehicle is facing the him, they better hope he's a in good mood—and if anyone ruins something in Radiator Springs, any car can guarantee he is not going to be.

## Biography

### Golden Days

*"Everything changed when the rookie showed up."*
―Smokey to Lightning McQueen and Cruz Ramirez[src]

In the early days of the Piston Cup Racing Series, Doc, then known as the Fabulous Hudson Hornet, was a very popular dirt track racer. He was considered one of the best racers of the time, receiving the title, *The Champion of All Time*. On the track, Doc befriended many of his competitors, such as Mario Andretti, Junior Moon, River Scott, and Louise Nash. In addition to being a talented race car, Doc was also good at making repairs to other cars, and once helped his friend Gus O'Line when he was having trouble with his semi-axis. Doc was also great friends with a mechanic named Smokey, who acted as a teacher to Doc. His friends called him "Hud" for short.

   Doc was popular for his unique strategies and abilities. He demonstrated mastery of powersliding, which helped him to navigate dirt turns very smoothly. Once, when a rival forced Doc up against a wall, he used a flip trick to pull ahead of the rival, allowing Doc to win the race.

Doc won the Piston Cup in 1951, 1952, and 1953, and continues to hold the record for most wins in a single season. However, his racing career took a sharp turn when he was involved in a horrific crash during the final lap of the 1954 Fireball Beach 500 at Fireball Beach, which prevented him from competing for the foreseeable future. Once he recovered after a long period of time Doc returned to the circuit, only to discover that racing had moved on without him, and that he had been replaced by a rookie.

### Post-crash

Upset, Doc decided to search for a city to blend into; in his search, he met many travelers who recognized him; to counter this, Doc removed all of his decals and racing tires, to no success. Along the way, however, Doc gave medical advice to the cars he met, and eventually found himself cruising down Route 66, where he met a young British car named Philip, who had broken down on the side of the road. After Doc fixed his engine, he realized that he could take up a medical career; he attended medical school for a doctorate in internal combustion, and soon became the resident doctor in the nearby town of Radiator Springs.

### McQueen's Arrival

When hotshot rookie race car Lightning McQueen accidentally rips up the main road of Radiator Springs by dragging the statue of Stanley down the middle of it, he is taken to court, where Doc, wanting to get rid of Lightning instantly, reluctantly bows to the will of the other town residents to sentence Lightning to community service, by making him re-pave the road with Bessie.

Bored and frustrated with the task, Lightning decides to rush it, and finishes the road within an hour. However, when word spreads to Doc, he discovers that the road is far from smooth, and is nothing but a mess of asphalt. After the residents confront Lightning, his cocky response inspires Doc to challenge him to a dirt track race. As the Radiator Springs townsfolk are unaware of Doc's past, they are surprised to see him up for a racing challenge.

### McQueen's Challenge

Later that day at Willy's Butte, Doc and Lightning have their competition; a simple one-lap race around the Willy's Butte oval, a track with the first 2 turns heavily banked, but one sharp turn without any type of wall or barrier. As Luigi and Guido start the race, the audience stares in confusion as they see Doc standing still at the finish line while Lightning speeds away. Doc and Mater then slowly make their way around the track as Lightning fails the second turn and runs straight down a hill and into a cactus patch. After Doc mocks the rookie, Mater is told to fish McQueen out with his tow hook.

The next morning, the Radiator Springs residents wake up to find the road halfway done, looking better than ever before. Confused as to Lightning's whereabouts, Doc notices Bessie parked near the road leading to Willy's Butte and follows it until he finds Lightning trying to practice on Willy's Butte under Sheriff's supervision, but again fails and ends up covered in dirt. Doc gives him advice by telling him to "turn right to go left", which McQueen simply passes off as nonsense from a "crazy grandpa car".

### The Discovery

The following day, Lightning comes into Doc's clinic to complain about the road, and upon leaving, he angrily kicks a can at the side of the road, which ends up landing inside of Doc's garage, and a loud noise is heard. McQueen goes to investigate, and, to his surprise, discovers three Piston Cup trophies, and a newspaper that shows the legend Doc was while he raced. As he pokes around, Doc catches him, and when Lightning admiringly asks him questions, Doc angrily kicks him out.

Excited, Lightning races to Flo's V8 Café, and alerts the residents of the newly discovered information, but they do not believe him, as they are completely unaware of Doc's racing talents. When Lightning returns from a drive with Sally, the Tractors that he and Mater accidentally let out of the fence the previous night stampede through the town, and while everyone attempts to catch them, Lightning follows a stray Tractor to Willy's Butte, where he finds Doc practicing, and Lightning is shocked by his talents. When Lightning comes down and praises Doc, he grumpily races away, leaving Lightning in admiration.

### 2005 Dinoco 400 Tie-Breaker

Shortly after, the road is finished, and Lightning is allowed to leave the town. However, he receives some new modifications and enjoys a nice cruise night in the Radiator Springs streets, until it is interrupted by the press, who take Lightning away to a tiebreaker race in Los Angeles. After Lightning is taken away, Kori Turbowitz thanks Doc for calling them, who is then scolded by Sally.

At the race, Lightning has only Mack on his pit crew and thinks about his friends from Radiator Springs while he is taking practice laps, until he finds out that his friends have come to the race to act as his crew, with Doc as the crew chief. During the race, Doc is noticed by the audience and announcers, and receives his long-overdue acknowledgement for his return. During the final lap of the race Doc gives Lightning a little racing advice, "This is it kiddo, you've got four turns left one at a time. Drive it in deep and hope it sticks. GO!!" Lightning takes that advice and when he his knocked into the infield by Chick Hicks, he uses the "Turn right to go left trick" that he saw Doc do out in Willy's Butte to stay in control, drift back on to the track and take the lead. Doc smiles because he knew Lightning had learned something from him. However, his smile gets wiped away when he witnesses Strip Weathers (The King) got knocked off the track, sent airborne, and rolling across the infield grass due to a PIT maneuver by Chick. He then felt shocked when Chick rammed The King and later confused when McQueen stopped before the finish line, allowing Chick to win the race and the Piston Cup. He then smiles once again when he sees Lightning help The King across the finish line because Lightning wanted The King to finish his last race.

Even though Chick technically won, Lightning is still seen as the winner in the eyes of the spectators due to helping The King and decides to stay in Radiator Springs and set up his headquarters there. McQueen's actions even resulted in Chick having his spotlight being given away for his bad sportsmanship.