<P> He is less than happy when an amazed McQueen discovers his past and asks, "Why did you quit at the top of your game?" After McQueen finishes fixing the Radiator Springs road that he damaged when arriving in town, as part of Hudson's court ruling, McQueen decides to stay in town for a while, but Doc was unable to bear having him around any longer and calls the news and press, prompting McQueen to immediately leave for the Piston Cup championship race in California . But seeing how disheartened everyone was by the unplanned departure, Doc realizes Lightning had become more important to them than he thought . He eventually admits the truth to everyone about his racecar days and takes back his #51 racing colors to become McQueen's pit crew chief . Nearly the entire town travels to California as McQueen's pit crew and cheering section . At the race, Doc finally receives a long - overdue acknowledgment for his return . When McQueen chooses to help an injured Strip Weathers finish his last race instead of win the Piston Cup, he expresses how proud he is of Lightning . </P> <P> At the end of the film, Doc keeps his racing colors, becoming a trainer as well as a friend to the young McQueen . Just like McQueen, Doc learned some lessons: friendship, promises, how greed affects others, and that secrets cannot be kept forever . When a racing museum subsequently opens in Radiator Springs, one entire wing is devoted to his racing career . Much as Junior #8 acknowledges to "The King" that "you've been an inspiration to me", The King indicates "the Hudson Hornet was my inspiration". </P> <P> By the start of Cars 2, Doc has died of Engine Cancer (The same thing as Heart Cancer, and is very rare). The Piston Cup has been renamed in his honor, and his clinic has been converted into a museum that displays trophies and mementos from his career . </P> <P> John Lasseter had announced that Cars 3 would include a tribute to Doc . McQueen's crash in the teaser is a reference to Doc's accident, and he often recalls pieces of advice that Doc gave him in flashbacks . Lightning goes to Doc's old trainer Smokey for help and watches movies of Doc's old races for inspiration . Smokey also explains that training Lightning, not racing, was the most enjoyable part of Doc's life . At the end, Lightning adopts Doc's old racing colors and paints "The Fabulous Lightning McQueen" on himself in honor of Doc, "The Fabulous Hudson Hornet ." Cruz Ramirez, a trainer who subsequently starts a racing career of her own, takes on Doc's old number 51 as a second tribute . </P>

What happened to doc in the cars 2 movie