Hudson may be long gone, but the legend of the Hornet lives on forever.
No NASCAR legends conversation is complete without the infamous Fabulous Hudson Hornet. This American motorsport icon dominated the stock car field in the early 1950s and inspired the character Doc Hudson from Pixar's 2006 movie Cars.
Not many people know of the Hornet – these days, most think you're referring to the Dodge Hornet crossover – or its on-track exploits, so Hagerty has released a new documentary that dives into the vehicle's incredible back story. Ed Souers, manager at the National Hudson Motor Car Company Museum, believes Hudson didn't set out to create a race car.
Souers goes into the company's history and explains how, after World War II, the company was in dire straights. Hudson was forced to continue producing its older body style and only introduced a new model in 1948. But it was only in the '50s that the “Step Down” model with its unibody design would arrive.
This “Step Down” design provided a lower center of gravity, thereby improving the dynamics and handling of the vehicle.
When the stock car class was introduced in 1949, manufacturers began introducing new bodies and engineering ideas to give their vehicles the edge and excite the crowds (who were driving similar cars). Big American names, such as Ford and Chrysler, were involved. Oldsmobile was the brand to beat for the first few years – but that all changed when Hudson hit the scene in 1951. Cue the Hornet.
The six-cylinder engine was enlarged to 5.0 liters and, at the time, was the largest inline-six ever fitted to a production car. With around 145 horsepower, it was quick and made an impression on the crowds. The '51 Beach Race at Daytona really put the Hornet on the map.
Initially, Hudson wasn't interested in building race cars. Still, the company later decided to provide a vehicle and race parts to Marshall Teague, a NASCAR legend known as the “King of the Beach.”
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Behind the wheel of his Hornet, Teague was immensely successful and brought life to the term “Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday,” although it wasn't coined officially until later. These cars were completely stock, running engines and parts that everyday customers would find in their cars.
It's a truly fascinating story, and if you're even remotely interested in NASCAR or classic American vehicles, it's well worth the watch. Contributors to the documentary include famed car collector Jay Leno and racing legend Richard Petty.
This is just one important part of the greater NASCAR story. It would be great to see racing return to these true stock car roots. While manufacturers such as Toyota, Ford, and Chevrolet still compete, the racers are far from the vehicles you'll find in showrooms. Besides, we don't think Camry drivers are beaming with pride every time Toyota clinches victory.
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Keyword: The Story Behind The Fabulous Hudson Hornet That Inspired Doc Hudson From Cars