- “You just gave up the Piston Cup, you know that?”
- ―The King
Strip "The King" Weathers is a race car that appears in the 2006 Disney/Pixar animated film Cars and its 2017 triquel. He is a seven-time champion of the Piston Cup and a veteran racer.
Background
Personality
Unlike Chick Hicks, The King is kind and caring about others, unlike Lightning McQueen was at the start of the film. He is a veteran of many races, but is also a devoted husband and enjoys the thought of retirement. He is also an honorable racer and would never resort to cheating. During the final race, The King somehow kept focus as he tried to end his career on a high note. But when Chick Hicks caused him to crash, and witnessed McQueen concede the race when he knew that he wouldn't end up like Doc, he became friends with McQueen after he helped him end his career in 2nd place. Thus, showing that The King did teach McQueen that it's about the crew, not the racer who wins.
Appearances
Cars
"The King", Strip Weathers, has seen it all. From his humble beginnings on the Piston Cup circuit, to the glitzy sponsorship and media attention he has today. This seven-time Piston Cup Champion is the winningest racecar in all of Piston Cup history. He's loved every second of his racing career, but truth be told, The King is ready for a slower pace. He's looking forward to more time with his queen, Mrs. The King."[1]
"After a spectacular crash The King looked pretty beat up, but rest assured he was back on his tires in no time flat! When you've been racing and crashing as long as he has, you can handle a few scrapes and bruises."[1]
Strip leading the race.
He tied for first place with Lightning McQueen and Chick Hicks in the Piston Cup final, so a tie-breaking race was scheduled in California. He races for the team "Dinoco" but he is due to retire from racing and hand the title to someone else. Weathers tells McQueen that he's got great talent as a racer but he's stupid for trying to be a one-man show. The King attempts to offer McQueen a dime's worth of free advice, saying it is also the crew, not just the racer, that wins races. But Lightning was too distracted daydreaming about becoming the poster car for Dinoco to pay attention. At the race in Los Angeles, The King led for most of the time until Lightning used a trick from Doc Hudson to get onto the track after Chick rammed him onto the infield during the final lap; when Lightning used the trick to get into the lead, The King smiles as he realises that Lightning has become what he wanted him to be and wants him to win. Apparently content to come in second place, The King focused on keeping ahead of Chick Hicks so that Chick won't try to hurt Lightning. However, getting frustrated that he wasn't going to win, Chick vows that he is never coming in behind Weathers again and in a display of loathsome cheating and lack of sportsmanship, hits The King with the illegal PIT maneuver and sends him flying through the air above the infield, where he crashes and rolls several times before coming to a halt, battered and issuing steam as his wife and fans watch in horror. McQueen, with a moment of conscience and is fearful that Weathers will be doomed to the same fate as Doc, halts inches away from the finish line, allows Chick Hicks to win the title, and instead nudges the injured Weathers over the line to allow him to retire with dignity, much to everyone's amazement. The King reminds McQueen that he just forfeited the Piston Cup, but the rookie says that a grumpy old race car once told him that "it's just an empty cup", having learned the lesson from Doc that it's not about winning. The crowd then erupts with cheers for the respect of the two cars and boo Chick Hicks off-stage for his despicable act when he celebrates his victory and claims his trophy. The King is then nudged to the pit-stop area where his wife kisses Lightning as thanks for helping her husband before the press both interview them.
The King (who has now been repaired) and Lynda later visit Radiator Springs and tour the museum. As Mater showed them the Doc Hudson wing, The King remarks that the Hudson Hornet was his inspiration. Later, he and Lynda were shown watching a movie at the Radiator Springs Drive-In Theatre.
Cars 3
He appears again in Cars 3. He is apparently now serving as the crew chief for his nephew, Cal Weathers, who later retires from racing. Early in the film, he compliments one of Cal's attempted insults. At the end, he is seen alongside Tex Dinoco and Cal Weathers, where they allow Cruz Ramirez to become Dinoco's next racer.[2]
Video games
Cars: The Video Game
The King's appearance in Cars: The Video Game
In Cars: The Video Game, The King returns as a playable character. While retired, he is still an unlockable character for Piston Cup racing. As a result, Darrell Cartrip's commentary lines include "It sure is nice to have Weathers back on the track!" He is only playable in the Piston Cup races in Arcade and Vs. Modes. Strangely, he doesn't appear in Story Mode. However, he was mentioned in the cut-scene for Palm Mile Speedway where Darrell Cartrip says that it's now gonna be Lightning vs. Chick with The King retired.
Disney Infinity
In Disney Infinity, The King appears many times as a racing opponent. He also appears in some cut-scenes, including one where he talks to Luigi.
Gallery
Trivia
- In the Danish version, The King was voiced by nine-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen.
- In the Finnish version, he was voiced by Finnish two-time Formula One World Champion Mika Häkkinen.
- In the German version, he was voiced by Austrian three-time Formula One World Champion Niki Lauda.
- His record of seven Piston Cups won was reached by Lightning in Cars 3.
- The King only has one line in Cars 3.
- According to a concept art for Cars 2 he would be repainted yellow.
- If The King would've been left behind following his crash, an alternative reality would've been that he would've decided to not retire and participate in the next racing season only to be replaced by a rookie, Chick Hicks, or possibly McQueen himself in a similar fate to Doc. However, McQueen helped The King instead after learning that helping others is more important than fame.
- The King could've won his 8th title early if McQueen never stuck out his tongue to trigger a tiebreaker race after losing both of his tires. But when race officials try to determine who won the Dinoco 400, the order is that it is basically The King, Lightning McQueen sticking his tongue in a attempt to win, and Chick Hicks crossing the finish line side by side. So basically if McQueen never stuck out his tongue, it would feel like The King and Chick Hicks either could've won or did the tiebreaker race instead if both of them crossed the finish line. This is coincidental because the viewer could see a slight view of The King and Chick Hicks both crossing the finish line side by side, making it complicated who could've won the race due to the length of the front of each car crossing the finish line if McQueen never stuck his tongue out.
- Strip Weather's number, 43, is a reference to former racer Richard Petty's racing number, 43.
- Despite being a racing veteran, The King, along with Chick Hicks, are the only Piston Cup racers to be based on older vehicles, as the rest of the Piston Cup racers are based on the current NASCAR stock car type vehicles.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Car Finder" (supplementary material on Blu-ray Disc release of Cars). 2007. Blu-ray Disc. Walt Disney Home Entertainment, 2007.
- ↑ 'Cars 3' gears up for a season-long ride with NASCAR
External links
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