Mack

"What? Did I forget to wipe my mud flaps?"

—Mack, ”Cars”

Mack is Lightning McQueen's transporter and one of his longest friends. He and McQueen work for the Rust-eze team in the Piston Cup Racing Series, with Mack bringing him to all of his races. Mack became Lightning's transporter after he recommended him to Rusty and Dusty Rust-eze when they were searching for a new spokescar. When he was hired by Rusteze, he replaced an older unidentified hauler for the team belonging to either Racer 01 or Racer 67 (who may be a reincarnation of the latter) after the latter retired.

History

Background

Nothing is known about Mack's life prior, but as his model implies, it can be assumed he was manufactured in the 1980s. Before he became a racing hauler, Mack worked transporting Rust-eze products cross-country, Ever served as Eggman hauler. During his spare time, Mack enjoyed watching races, with his favorite car being Smell Swell racer Lightning McQueen. When Mack happened to witness McQueen being dropped from his sponsor in favor of Sammy Smelter, Mack suggested Rust-eze, who had been looking for a new spokes car, while not finding success with their previous auditions.

Mack offered to bring McQueen to Boston to discuss the sponsor possibility. Eager for a new sponsorship, McQueen accepted, and the two became fast friends on the journey there. Upon meeting Rusty and Dusty Rust-eze, McQueen discovered that Rust-eze was a somewhat embarrassing mark to bear, making him initially hesitant to accept the job. However, McQueen agreed to take their offer as long as Mack was able to become his transporter. Mack and Lightning McQueen remained friends all the way through McQueen's rise to Piston Cup stardom.

Cars: The Rookie

In a narrative following a similar story, a young Lightning McQueen depressed after losing his previous race, departs and runs into Mack, a rusty moving van for the Eggman company who was impressed with his performance on the track and explained to the race car about the laws of physics of racing which causes McQueen to rudely ask the truck that he was not his friend and didn't need any advice, he also said that he hates old trucks. Mack then tells Lightning that there is no need to be rude and offers that they could help each other as a team; he will bring him to the Piston Cup and will bring him to the teams and see if they will accept him as their racer much to the surprisement of McQueen as his longtime friend Gray has close connections in the Piston Cup. Mack happily brings the young race car on board and head along to their journey to the Piston Cup. Mack introduces the red racing car to Gray.^[2][3]

In the second chapter, after many teams won't accept Lightning McQueen to be their racer, things start to get a bit sour when McQueen argues with Mack that he doesn't want to be in a team to do with rusty vehicles which Mack offered and the former storms off to the race track and he alongside Mack watch the race track and the latter introduces McQueen to Rusty and Dusty when the legendary old Rust-eze #01 car speeds through the circuit but suddenly crashes causing the latter to quit mid-race and politely refuses to continue and retires causing Mack to think they need a new racer which turns out to be McQueen himself leading McQueen to be shocked and worried and tries to avoid getting roped into the team, but Mack pushes him to the two brothers and claims it is a good opportunity for him and the two brothers enter him in. Because of this, McQueen is dissapointed, but Mack claims he won't regret it. After McQueen breaks the track record on his first try much to the surprisement of everyone, Mack is also impressed and McQueen is offered to join the Rusteze team by Rusty and Dusty which McQueen positively accepts and tells Mack what he thinks about it, but Mack is speechless and McQueen tells the brothers that he wants Mack as his transporter which Mack also accepts and both of them get hired.^[4][5]

Cars

In Cars, Mack is first heard off-screen at the very beginning of the film banging on the trailer, asking Lightning McQueen if he is ready. Later, when Lightning is making his way to Mack after the Dinoco 400 at the Motor Speedway of the South, Mack congratulates McQueen on his tie, but McQueen brushes it off and asks what he did to his trailer. He finds that Mack has parked his trailer at the back of his sponsor's tent, so that McQueen can easily exit after making a personal appearance. However, McQueen hates appearing in front of rusty cars, and though Mack reminds him that Mack reminds him that Rust-eze gave him his big break, he is just brushed off and told to get ready to leave. After Lightning McQueen's presentation, they leave for California for the tie-breaker race.

After leaving the speedway, Mack and Lightning McQueen travel the entire day to the Los Angeles International Speedway, where the tie-breaker race will be held. Due to a bet Lightning made with Chick, he tells Mack to drive through the night. Though Mack is nervous about the task, McQueen assures him that he will stay awake with him, though he falls asleep shortly after, leaving Mack alone and sleepy on the highway. DJ, Boost, Snot Rod and Wingo mess with Mack as he dozes off, causing a trophy inside the trailer to fall down, releasing McQueen from the rear exit. Lightning wakes up in the middle of the highway, and in a panic, tries to figure out what has happened. Thinking quickly, McQueen tries to search for Mack, but is unable to locate him because of the many haulers that look just like him(as well as the fact that Lightning McQueen ended up on the wrong side of the highway). Noticing a truck taking an exit, McQueen rushes toward it, while narrowly avoiding an oncoming train. When Lightning McQueen finally catches up to the truck, he finds out that it is not actually Mack, but rather an irritated Peterbilt named Jerry Recycled Batteries.

Upon his arrival at the speedway, Mack opens his trailer to reveal Lightning McQueen to the swarming press, but everyone is confused when they realize Lightning McQueen's absence. Meanwhile, Lightning McQueen finds himself in the small town of Radiator Springs, where he is sentenced to community service and unable to leave.

A few days after McQueen's disappearance, the press receive a call from Doc Hudson about Lightning McQueen's location, and Mack, along with hundreds of other reporters and camera cars, come to retrieve, McQueen’s location. Elated to see his boss, he apologizes for losing him, but Lightning McQueen assures him that happy to see Mack in Radiator Springs. Mack then detaches from the trailer to shield McQueen from the press so he could talk with his agent, Harv on the phone and so he could say his goodbyes to Sally Carrera. Soon enough, he urges McQueen to get into the trailer otherwise Harv would have him fired, though McQueen is hesitant to leave his new friends and is forced to leave by the press. Nonetheless, McQueen is taken to the Los Angeles International Speedway where he begins to prepare for the tie-breaker race, with Mack serving as the sole member of his pit crew. However, while Lightning is taking practice laps, his friends from Radiator Springs show up and join Mack in Lightning McQueen's pit crew. While McQueen is having trouble focusing on the race, Mack asks if he is okay before the Radiator Springs folks come to help and support McQueen, giving him the encouragement to continue the race.

When Chick Hicks shoves into McQueen causing him to flatten a tire, Mack worries that McQueen will never win the race if he's not back out on the course on time. However, Guido makes a fast pit stop, allowing McQueen to continue the race and Mack praises Guido. When McQueen forfeits his chance to win the Piston Cup and chooses to help The King finish his last race after Chick causes him to crash, Mack cheers for McQueen and congratulates him for his loss. After Lightning assists The King to the finish line in an act of sportsmanship, Tex Dinoco offers McQueen the Dinoco sponsorship. McQueen declines, instead wishing to stick with Mack and the other friends he has made through the Rust-eze sponsorship.

After Lightning McQueen decides to build his racing headquarters in Radiator Springs, Mack resides in the town with him and continues being his transporter. During the film's credits, Mack and many other inhabitants of Radiator Springs and its surrounding areas go to the Radiator Springs Drive-In Theatre, where they watch Monster Trucks, Inc., Toy Car Story, and A Bug's Life. After hearing Yeti, Hamm, and P.T. Flea speak in their respective films, he criticizes them for repetition. This is a reference to how Mack, Hamm, Yeti, and P.T. Flea are all performed by John Ratzenberger.

Cars: The Videogame

In Cars: The Videogame, the 2006 Piston Cup season is starting soon, so Mack tells Lightning McQueen to get some practice by competing in road races and helping his friends around town. Mack transports Lightning McQueen to all five of the season's races, each time greeting McQueen with a positive attitude.

Before the fourth Piston Cup race at Smasherville Speedway, Mack is traveling along Interstate 40 while Lightning McQueen is practicing around town. Boost, DJ, Wingo, and Snot Rod work together to perform a heist, and they manage to make off with Lightning's Gear by putting Mack to sleep, opening his trailer, and collecting the goods. Right as they start to make their getaway, Snot Rod unleashes a sneeze, waking Mack up in time to figure out what has happened. He phones Sheriff in Radiator Springs, who informs McQueen of the problem. Seeking revenge, Lightning McQueen races out to the Interstate, where he catches up to the delinquents and steals his gear back. The four are arrested and brought to the Radiator Springs Municipal Impound, where they admit they were hired by Chick Hicks.

In the hub world, Mack stays parked outside Flo's V8 Café, greeting Lightning McQueen when he passes by. He is mostly tired, yawning to get rest.

Cars: Radiator Springs Adventures

In Cars: Radiator Springs Adventures, Mack appears during Drive-In And Out, as one of the characters the player must clear a path for.

Mater and the Ghostlight

In Mater and the Ghostlight, Mack appears at Flo's V8 Cafe with all the other townsfolk, listening to the Sheriff tell the story of the Ghostlight, After the story is over, he helps the others pull a prank on Mater by putting a lamp on his tow hook.

Cars: Mater-National Championship

While Mack does not appear in Cars: Mater-National Championship, some data found within the game's files seems to suggest that Mack was intended to appear.

The World of Cars Online

In The World of Cars Online, Mack could be found outside of Flo's V8 Cafe, greeting customers.

Cars: Race-O-Rama

Mack does not play a large role in Cars: Race-O-Rama. He appears in Mack Track Challenge, where the player must use his trailer to do a big jump. Mostly in the game, he is the transporter that helps the player get to different places in the game.

Cars 2

In Cars 2, Mack is still working with the Piston Cup, continuing his occupation as Lightning McQueen's team hauler. He is briefly seen at the beginning when he and his friend return to Radiator Springs after Lightning McQueen wins his 4th Piston Cup. After dropping McQueen off in Radiator Springs with his fourth Piston Cup championship trophy, Mack sets off with the rest of the pit crew for a well-deserved vacation like McQueen. However, he does not accompany him to the World Grand Prix, instead choosing to stay in Radiator Springs. Strangely, he and Lizzie do not watch and hear the Mel Dorado Show of the Italian Formula Car Francesco Bernoulli insulting Mater and Lightning McQueen inside the Wheel Well Motel and see Team Lightning McQueen fly off to Tokyo, Japan at the airport for the World Grand Prix. More strange, when Lightning calls his friends from Radiator Springs about Mater turning out to be still missing, Mack and Lizzie did not go to London with them to battle against the lemons, and watch Mater getting knighted at the Queen of England. Towards the end of the film, Mack and Lizzie were listening to Mater’s Spy Story when Finn McMissile and Holley Shiftwell arrive at Radiator Springs. He makes a remark to Lizzie about how Mater and Holley Shiftwell are "perfect for each other" because of the dent. A lot more strange, he and Lizzie did not cheer for Lightning McQueen at the Radiator Springs Grand Prix.

Cars 3

Mack returns in Cars 3, but like in the first two films, remains Lightning McQueen's driver. In the opening scene, he taps Lightning's trailer, asking his boss if he was ready for his race.

Four months after Lightning McQueen's accident, Mack drives him, Luigi and Guido to Rust-eze Racing Center, where his boss planned on training to boost his speed to beat Jackson Storm. After an unsuccessful week training under Cruz Ramirez in both the racing center and on Fireball Beach, Lightning McQueen decided to go to Thunder Hollow to race at the dirt track. When Luigi and Guido advised going to a public place where the press would easily recognize him, Mack assure the group that he was a master of disguise. To that end, Mack camouflaged his cap and his trailer to resemble a party truck and upon arriving at Thunder Hollow, had Luigi cover McQueen in mud. Unfortunately, as they all discovered, the racetrack was actually a demolition derby, which Cruz won but McQueen was exposed to the crowd.

As they were leaving Thunder Hollow, Mack uncomfortably had to listen to Lightning taking his anger out on Cruz, telling her she's no racer and accidentally breaks her trophy, causing her to order Mack to pull over, forcefully opening the trailer when Mack hesitated. Cruz then told everyone that she dreamed of becoming a racer but lost her confidence at her first race. She resigns as Lightning McQueen's trainer and heads back to the racing center.

Mack later parked underneath an underpass to retire for the night while McQueen considered his future as he watched Storm setting a new lap record on TV, leading him to calling Mater, who advised him to seek out Doc Hudson's old crew chief Smokey in Thomasville. Thus, early next morning, Mack manages to catch up to Cruz, upon which McQueen persuades her rejoin them. Afterwards, they proceeded onto Thomasville, where upon Mack pulls over upon arriving at Thomasville Racetrack.

After a week training under Smokey, Mack had to pull Lightning McQueen to reach the deadline for the Florida 500.

During the credits, Mack becomes both McQueen and Cruz's driver with a new trailer sporting Cruz's legendary flip.

Cars 3: Driven to Win

Mack is an unlockable playable character in Cars 3: Driven to Win, making his playable debut in a Cars game. He is unlocked by collecting the ten Mack hats that are spread across the Thomasville Playground map.

Dino Park

Mack made a brief appearance in the first episode of Cars on the Road "Dino Park".

Cars Land

Mack appears in the Cars Land attraction, Radiator Springs Racers, when the riders enter the dark tunnel. After the riders hear Mini say "Van, are we lost again?", the riders swerve around Mack, Mini, and Van.

General information

Physical description

Mack is based on a 1980s-era Mack Super-Liner semi cab, with a compatible trailer. His license plate is RUSTEZ3. Other photos indicate that his license plate is also RUSTEZ4.

Mack's cab is painted red, and has a chrome grille with his name on it. The trailer he hauls around is red and grey, showing Lightning McQueen, the Rust-eze logo, the number 95, and Lightning's name painted on each side. He has aluminum rims, resembling 2005–present Ford F-450/F-550 Super Duty trucks (albeit 10-holes instead of 8; though he does have 8-holes in Cars: The Videogame).

Personality and traits

Mack is incredibly loyal to his friends, particularly Lightning McQueen. As Lightning's transporter, Mack does his best to adhere to his wants, though their wishes do not always line up. Mack supports Lightning in times of need, such as when Lightning did not have a pit crew at the tie-breaker race in Los Angeles, and Mack stepped in to serve until Hudson and more of McQueen's friends showed up.

Mack thinks positively about his job, and he is always eager to transport McQueen to his next race. He seems to enjoy long road trips, especially when he is able to listen to music. The music can be distracting to Mack, however, and he often has trouble staying awake when driving late at night.

Additionally, Mack can occasionally act childish, doing things like making funny faces to his reflection on the back of a tanker truck.

Though Mack is mostly friendly to McQueen, he can also be stern, making sure that Lightning McQueen is practicing enough during the off-season to stay in shape.

Powers and abilities

Mack is a very strong and heavy vehicle, allowing him to pull Lightning's trailer with ease. However, he often dozes off while doing so, allowing him to be pushed around by other cars on the highway.

Mack also has racing abilities, being able to hold his own in road races against his friends, as seen in Cars 3: Driven to Win. He can also deploy and shoot weapons like Missiles and Machine Guns.

List of appearances

For this subject's list of appearances, see Mack/Appearances.

Profiles and statistics

Car Finder Game

Cars 2

• Bios
  • "Mack is Lightning McQueen's trusted long-haul driver, crisscrossing the country from race to race, always with a smile on his grill. After dropping Lightning off in Radiator Springs with his fourth Piston Cup championship trophy, Mack sets off with the rest of the pit crew for a well-deserved vacation. Who knew that Lightning would end up jetting off to a race around the globe in the World Grand Prix?"^[6]

Cars 3

• Bios
  • "If there is one vehicle that has been with McQueen since nearly the very beginning, it's Mack. Although he's technically a race transporter, Mack is so much more than just a part of Team McQueen. Mack is McQueen's confidant, his good friend, and his sounding board. He's always reliable, always there, and always ready to roll, whether it's to get McQueen to the demolition derby or transporting him all the way to the Florida 500."^[7]

Cars 3: Driven to Win

• Mack's much more than Lightning's race transporter. He's a confidant and friend who's always ready to roll.

Portrayals

• John Ratzenberger - All appearances, excluding Cars 3: Driven to Win

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Mack/Gallery.

Names in other languages

• Bulgarian: Мак (transcription: Mak)
• Finnish: Make
• Japanese: まっく (transcription: Makku)
• Lithuanian: Makas
• Norwegian: Mål
• Polish: Maniek
• Russian: Мак (transcription: Mak)
• Serbian: Мек
• Ukrainian: Мак (transcription: Mak)

Audio Files

Horn

Trivia

• The wind deflector on Mack's roof actually resembles a trucker cap, which is often worn by many truck drivers in real life. This is noticeable due to the prominent visor protruding above his windshield (eyes).
• The first known toy of Mack is a playset released in 2005 or 2006.
• Mack is the only Piston Cup team hauler that is a Mack Trucks vehicle. Other haulers are Aeroliner Semi Haulers or Luxoliner Semi Hauler. The "Next Generation" semi haulers come from their own manufacturer as well, Next-Gen.
  • While his trailer is completely identical to the other Piston Cup haulers' trailers, Mack's is the only one that strangely lacks a satellite dish.
  • He is also the only Mack Trucks vehicle to ever appear in the franchise, even though its likely there are more of his make out there, but they are all unnamed.
    • He also made a mention of his mother in a comic who was never seen, but was likely also a Mack truck herself.
• The dog-shaped hood ornament on Mack's hood is not "car-ified".
• Mack is one of the 12 characters who appeared in all three films.
• Mack loosely resembles Oliver Overdrive from the British television series Steady Eddie as both have similar truck designs, are red, wear caps, and have their eyes placed on the windshields.
• Mack and Lizzie are the only inhabitants of Radiator Springs that do not travel to London England by fighting the Lemons and watch Mater get knighted at the Queen of England in Cars 2.
  • They also didn't watch and hear Francesco Bernoulli insulting Mater and Lightning McQueen at the Mel Dorado Show inside the Wheel Well Motel, and did not see Lightning McQueen and his team takeoff to Tokyo, Japan. As well as not cheering Lightning McQueen in the Radiator Springs Grand Prix either.
• In the deleted scene of the Paris Grand Prix Race for Cars 2, Mack can be seen in Lightning McQueen's pit possibly meaning that he was going to have a bigger role in the film.
• Cars 3: Driven to Win is his first playable appearance.
• Although he was shown to be Cruz's hauler in the Cars 3 credits, in 2019, Mattel released a playset featuring "Cruz Ramirez's Hauler". And it was in addition revealed in the former's appearance in Cars on the Road that his trailer is back to his Rusteze paint job which could likely mean that Mack was Cruz's hauler for a brief time before at one point getting replaced by the said next-gen type.
• The early storyboards for Cars depict him in a different semi truck style resembling that of a pickup truck and it's currently unknown if Mack was actually meant to look like that as whereas some storyboards depict him with a design closer to the final film.
• An unnamed truck appears in 1995's Yellow Car (early development version of Cars) which might be an early version of Mack himself.

Quotes

• "Hey, kid! Congrats on the tie!" - Cars
• "I parked it over at your sponsor's tent." - Cars
• "You gotta make your personal appearance." - Cars
• "California, here we come!" - Cars
• “GESUNDHEIT!” - Cars
• "What? Did I forget to wipe my mud flaps?" - Cars
• "We gotta go. Harv's going crazy!" - Cars
• "After all, 'Gas Can' is my middle name." - Cars
• "Congrats on the loss me, Bucko!" - Cars
• "Hey, kid! You ready go after that Piston Cup?" - Cars: The Videogame
• "Well, you said it... just as soon as you get some practice." - Cars: The Videogame
• "Besides, they just don't let anybody with four wheels race for the Piston Cup you know..." - Cars: The Videogame
• "Oh, these best friend greetings. They get longer every year!" - Cars 2
• “Here we are. HAHAHA!” - Cars 2
• "Oh, those two are perfect for each other." - Cars 2
• "Hey, Lightning, you ready?" - Cars 3
• "Rust-eze Racing Center, here we come! Good times ahead." - Cars 3
• "Ah, just leave it to me, boss. I am a master of disguise." - Cars 3
• "You sir, are officially incognito. Nobody's bothering you." - Cars 3
• (Cruz Ramirez: "Mack! Pull over!") "What? Now?" - Cars 3
• (Cruz Ramirez: "Now!") "Ahh! Okay, okay! Pulling over, pulling over!" - Cars 3
• "Hey, uh, boss, it's time to hit the road." - Cars 3
• "Hey, boss, they're, uh.. calling the racers to the track." - Cars 3

References