Doc Hudson is one of the most loved characters in the Disney-Pixar animated film Cars. The veteran racer-turned-doctor appears as Lightning McQueen’s mentor in the film. Interestingly, Doc Hudson was inspired by the Hudson Hornet cars that competed in NASCAR in the 1950s, along with one of the car’s iconic drivers, Herb Thomas.
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Hudson Motor Car Co. was one of the first brands to support NASCAR during its early days in the 1950s when the sanctioning body’s survival was in question. The executives at the company understood that racing was a wide marketing platform to sell street cars and launched the Hornet line of cars in 1951 which went on to dominate on the track.
These cars came with bold lettering on the side reading “Fabulous Hudson Hornet.” Herb Thomas won the championship in the car’s first year in the sport and established it as a remarkable vehicle. He won the title again in the same car in 1953 to become NASCAR’s first two-time champion.
The Fabulous Hudson Hornet from Cars 🔥💯🚀 pic.twitter.com/DHMZTYN4iz
— Tuner Cars (@TunerScene) May 15, 2024
The car’s final appearance in the sport was in 1955, and it left NASCAR with 80 wins to its name. Thomas was the most successful driver in a Hornet, with 39 wins. The reason for the car’s demise came down to financial woes suffered by the Hudson Motor Car Co. It ceased production altogether in 1957 and marked the end of a glorious era.
A notable driver who also drove the Hornet was Tim Flock. He is remembered for winning the 1952 championship and for driving with a live monkey, Jocko Flocko, in his car’s passenger seat. Flock won 10 races with his Hornet and is the third most successful driver to have driven the Hornet. Dick Rathmann, another driver at the time, won 13 races with his Hornet.
Until this weekend, the only NASCAR Cup series race ever run in the state of Iowa was in 1953 at Davenport Speedway.
Grand National champion Herb Thomas lapped the field in his Fabulous Hudson Hornet. pic.twitter.com/9NScsXOny8
— NASCAR Legends (@LegendsNascar) June 15, 2024
The Hudson Hornets were the first cars to align themselves with the adage, “Win on Sunday, sell on Monday.” Interestingly, Hudson is tied with Toyota and Oldsmobile for third on the NASCAR Cup Series manufacturers’ championship list, with its three titles. No carmaker, except Chevrolet and Ford, has won the title more than thrice.
Doc Hudson is a 1951 Hudson Hornet road car that is later revealed to be one of the Fabulous Hudson Hornet racecars that wreaked havoc in NASCAR. The character was voiced by Paul Newman. Doc Hudson wasn’t included in the sequels of the franchise since Newman passed away in 2008. It is implied in the sequels that Hudson died before the events of the second film.
