Doc Hudson

### Dislikes

Radiator Springs destroyed or ruined, racing (formerly), Lightning McQueen (formerly), Chick Hicks and his dirty tricks, The King's crash, losing

### Status

Deceased

**Doc Hudson** (also known as **The Fabulous Hudson Hornet**) is the deuteragonist of the 2006 Disney•Pixar animated film, *Cars.*

## Background

He was once one of the most famous race cars in history; he won three Piston Cups in a row and still holds the record for most wins in a single season. However, it all changed for Doc when he was involved in a terrible crash during the final lap of the 1954 Piston Cup championship race, which saw him put out for the season. Upon his return, he was received with a complete absence of fanfare and told that he was a has-been who had been passed up for the next rookie in line. He kept a newspaper article on the career-ending crash as a reminder to never to return to the career that nearly killed him.

“*When I finally got put together, I went back expecting a big welcome. Know what they said? "You're history." Moved onto the next rookie standing in line. There was a lot left in me. I never got a chance to show 'em.*”
―Doc tells Lightning why he left racing.
Jaded by the racing scene, he left that world, apparently taking out time to study medicine. The famous #51 disappeared into obscurity, leaving many wondering where he had gone. He instead opted for a simple navy blue paint job and the life of a physician in the tiny town of Radiator Springs, the "shining Gemstone" of the Mother Road - Route 66. He runs Doc's Clinic as a "doctor of internal combustion". As times changed and the town got bypassed in favor of Interstate 40, Doc stayed on, even when the population had dwindled to a meager dozen or so residents. He is respected, well-loved, and serves not only as of the town's physician but as its judge as well. However, nobody in the town had any idea of his past as a racer; he was just an ordinary Hudson Hornet to them.

### Personality

Doc is portrayed as a grumpy old man who wants to leave his racing career behind after the painful rejection of the racing world, and stay out of the public line. Doc enjoys peace and quiet, and loves the town of Radiator Springs and its citizens. However, despite his fondness for his friends, he never told them of his past of being a race car as he wanted to forget and distance himself from anything that reminded him of his past. Even though Doc never told his friends about his past, he did felt shame and regret for lying to them about who he used to be.

When Lightning McQueen arrives in Radiator Springs and accidentally rips up the main road, Doc's initial reaction is highly negative, as the rookie racecar was a reminder of Doc's past and the racing world he left behind. Hesitant to kick him out of town, he decides to sentence McQueen to community service by fixing the road, causing their relationship to be strained at first. This is when Doc revealed his tragic past to McQueen, explaining why he wanted to have him leave town at first, as well as that the trophies he won are just nothing but "a bunch of empty cups" during the second half of the film. However, at one point, Doc did try be friendly with McQueen, giving him well-meaning advice on how to turn on dirt, to which McQueen ignored. When McQueen decided to stay in Radiator Springs after fixing the road, Doc took it upon himself to get rid of McQueen by informing the press on his whereabouts, believing it to be best for everyone when it was really only to satisfy himself after Sally calls him out. However, upon seeing how sad his friends were to see McQueen leave, Doc realized how important and well-loved McQueen became to all of them. Doc then immediately made amends with his decisions by informing his friends of his former racing career and became Lightning's crew chief to support him in his race, even realizing that the race could be worse due to Chick Hicks. Doc was later impressed when he found out that McQueen conceded the Piston Cup to Chick Hicks so he can help The King finish his last race, having realized the lesson he taught McQueen about how people quit on him following his crash that forced him into retirement.

After becoming McQueen's mentor, Doc showed who he truly was on the inside: a caring, supportive grandfather-like figure as he finally came to terms with his past and be at peace with the former sport he loves doing.

### Physical appearance

Doc Hudson is based off of the real 1951 Hudson Hornet, which is where his name, number and paint scheme came from.

During his Piston Cup racing days, Doc was painted in a dark shade of blue, with a chrome bumper and grille. On his doors were the number 51 painted in yellow, as well as the words Fabulous Hudson Hornet painted in both white and yellow. He also had the words Twin-H-Power on both sides of his hood, and the Piston Cup logo beneath them. While Doc had red racing wheels during his racing career, official artwork seems to suggest that he had chrome rims at one point or another.

After arriving in Radiator Springs to set up his own medical clinic, Doc attempted to hide his past by removing most of his decals, leaving only his dark blue coat of paint and the his chrome grille, bumper, and lining.

### Powers and abilities

Doc was considered the best dirt track racer of all time. Despite his age, Doc can still race with great skill, with incredible statistics, even being able to compete with other Piston Cup race cars in *Cars: The Video Game*. Drifting is one of Doc's most well-known abilities, being able to easily take turns on dirt tracks.

Doc also had medical experience that was handy even before he got his doctorate in internal combustion, and it was that knowledge that inspired him to go to medical school. Additionally, Doc serves as the judge for Radiator Springs, having the knowledge to serve in a courtroom.

## Trivia

* Doc Hudson is a 1951 Hudson Hornet.
* A blue Hudson Hornet can be seen in *The Incredibles*, an Easter egg appearance of Doc Hudson. Even though *Cars* was released after *The Incredibles*, development of the film was well under way.
* The Hudson Hornet was one of the first cars used by drivers in the beginning of NASCAR.
* The story of the Fabulous Hudson Hornet is based on real-life events. Many Hornets used in NASCAR at that time actually used that quote on their body paint design. Hudson won the championship from 1951-53.
* Doc and Stanley are the only two vehicles in the entire series to have died off-screen. Stanley died before the events of Cars.
* Doc Hudson honking his horn to have court order seems to be the car equivalent of a judge banging a gavel, though it is never revealed if he honks his horn when a case is closed.
* Doc's appearance in the Radiator Springs Racers ride at Cars Land implies that the events of the ride take place before the events of *Cars 2*. However, this is contradicted when, while Lightning and Mater congratulate the guests after the race, the former occasionally mentions the time he raced in the World Grand Prix.
	+ All of Doc's lines for the ride are performed by Corey Burton and this was his last time voicing the character to date.
* Doc Hudson started racing in the Piston Cup series in 1951, the same year his car model debuted: this technically would make him, in real life, the true first rookie winning the Piston Cup.
* His license plate is 51HHMD, which is a reference to his year and track number (51), model (Hudson Hornet) and profession (medical doctor).
* Doc was Paul Newman's last acting role. Also, like Newman, he has blue eyes.
	+ He would have appeared in later films had Newman not died.