Strip "The King" Weathers is the overcharging protagonist in the 2006Disney/Pixar animated film Cars and a minor character in its 2017triquel. He is a seven-time Piston Cup champion racecar who is the former racer for the Dinoco racing team. He is also a mentor to Lightning and is minorly known for being the one who gave him his nickname due to being impressed by his immense speed in certain books. Despite Lightning's constant rude and cocky behavior in the first film, he mostly ignored it and treated him like a protege in a sense (similar to Doc in some ways). However, he was also quick to give Lightning constructive feedback, including calling his "one-man show" attitude stupid, and claiming he needs a good crew chief and a good team to win, which Lighting initially ignores before taking the advice to hear later after his stay in Radiator Springs. After the tie-breaker race to determine the winner of the Dinoco 400, The King retired from racing, and became a crew chief to his nephew, Cal Weathers. who eventually retired himself. He speaks with a southern drawl, which may be due to being born in North Carolina (the birthplace of his voice actor).
In the Cars franchise, The King, or Strip Weathers, is modeled after a 1970 Plymouth Superbird NASCAR. This character, voiced by Richard Petty, is a seasoned racer who transitions into the role of a crew chief.
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Who voices The King in the Cars film?
Richard Petty lends his voice to The King in the Cars film series. In various international versions, other notable personalities voice the character. Tom Kristensen, a nine-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner, voices The King in the Danish version. The Finnish version features Mika Häkkinen, a two-time Formula One World Champion, while the German version features Niki Lauda, a three-time Formula One World Champion.
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How many times has The King won the Piston Cup in Cars?
In the Cars universe, The King holds a record of seven Piston Cup victories, a feat matched only by Lightning McQueen.
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What distinguishes The King's character from Lightning McQueen and Chick Hicks in Cars?
The King in Cars distinguishes himself from Chick Hicks and Lightning McQueen through his kind and caring nature. As a veteran racer, he values honor and does not cheat, unlike Chick Hicks. He also looks forward to retirement, showing a different perspective from the initially self-centered and overconfident Lightning McQueen.
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What is The King's role in the 2017 sequel of Cars?
The King, in Cars 3, holds the position of crew chief for his nephew, Cal Weathers. Early in the movie, he appreciates Cal's attempted insults. When Cal retires from racing, The King, together with Tex Dinoco and Cal Weathers, permits Cruz Ramirez to succeed as Dinoco's upcoming racer.
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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 caused him to crash on purpose, 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 second place. Thus, showing that The King did teach McQueen that it's about the crew, not the racer who wins.
"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 race car 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.
Mr. King is tied for first place with Lightning McQueen and Chick Hicks in the Piston Cup final, so a tie-breaking race is 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 (basically teamwork), 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 realizes 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 so that he 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 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 to save him, but the rookie says that a grumpy old race car once told him, "it's just an empty cup", having learned the lesson from Doc that it's not always about winning. The crowd then erupts with cheers for the respect of the two cars and boo Chick 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 shows 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.
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]
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.
Originally, after the Cars update had been released, making several Cars characters playable, The King was planned to be eventually added as a playable character. Soon afterward, however, the contract allowing Hipster Whale to use Disney properties expired, leaving The King unused.
In this scene when The King crashes, it is based on Rusty Wallace's 1993 crash at Talladega.
Though, when McQueen helps The King to the finish line, it is based on Richard Petty's 1976 crash. The only difference with this was that The King was crashed on purpose by Chick, whereas Petty’s crash was caused by accident.
However, Chick crashing The King was possibly inspired by the 1989 All Star Race backlash, where Rusty Wallace intentionally bumps Darrell Waltrip off the infield, and his victory is instead met by boos by the crowd similar to Chick's comeuppance.
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.
A yellow 1970 Plymouth Superbird similar to him appeared in the The Art of Cars 2 as a racer for the World Grand Prix and a concept character, he was sponsoring Dinoco and and he had the 43 while he is racing with Lightning McQueen and Francesco Bernoulli with other racers.
References[]
↑ 1.01.1"Car Finder" (supplementary material on Blu-ray Disc release of Cars). 2007. Blu-ray Disc. Walt Disney Home Entertainment, 2007.
