- ""Well, then race for me!""
- —'Tex Dinoco', Cars 3, [[{{{3}}}]]
Tex Dinoco is the team owner and talent scout of the Dinoco racing team, having been the creator of the most successful and popular oil product in the world. He appears in Cars and Cars 3, as well as the comic, Looking for Lightning.
History
Cars
Tex with The King and Lynda Weathers
In Cars, Tex is first seen driving alongside Strip and Lynda Weathers, complimenting The King on his racing. He is later present during Lightning's daydream, where he awards Lightning with the coveted Dinoco sponsorship and paint job.
Later, while Lightning is working on the road in Radiator Springs, he hears a report on Lizzie's radio about Chick Hicks' arrival at the Los Angeles International Speedway which leads him into a daydream about Tex giving Chick the Dinoco sponsor. Wanting to prevent this from happening, McQueen rushes the road's completion but the town's residents make him tear it up and start over due to its poor quality.
At the tie-breaker race in Los Angeles, Tex and Lynda are inside one of the indoor booths above the stands, cheering on The King. In the final lap, they watch in horror as Hicks takes Weathers out of the race by performing a PIT maneuver on him, causing Strip to fly out in the field, resulting in a large amount of damage.
However, Tex watches with pride as Lightning gives up his victory and backs up to help The King finish the final race of his career. After the race, despite Chick being the winner, Tex instead offers the Dinoco sponsorship to McQueen for his good sportsmanship. McQueen politely rejects the offer, preferring to stick with his Rust-eze sponsors, but is able to get his best friend Mater a ride in Rotor Turbosky, Dinoco's helicopter.
Tex highly approved of McQueen's integrity in turning him down in addition to his sportsmanship and remained on good terms with him for years, with McQueen free to address him on a first name basis.
Cars 3
Template:Upcoming At the end of the movie, Tex gives Cruz Ramirez the Dinoco sponsorship, replacing the retired Cal Weathers. Tex also buys Rust-eze from Sterling, so now Cruz and Lightning both race for him.
Other appearances
Tex also appears in the comic, Looking for Lightning in which he comes to Radiator Springs to invite Lightning to a charity Piston Cup race, only to find out that he went on a drive with Sally. He and Sheriff set out to look for them and find them up by Tailfin Pass.
General information
Physical description
Promotional artwork of Tex.
Tex is a 1975 Cadillac Coupe De Ville. His license plate reads Dinoco. His maximum speed is 314 km/h and his horsepower is 210.
Tex is painted gold, with chrome lining, and a cow-spotted roof. His bumper is chrome, as well as his rims. He sports a pair Texas longhorns on his front grille.
Personality and traits
Tex is kind and shows care towards the Piston Cup racers, particularly the King and Lightning McQueen.
Appearances
Profiles and statistics
Cars
- Bios
- "Tex has been Dinoco's team owner and talent scout for over 20 years. Sure, he's a smooth-talker from the Lone Star State, but he's also a genuine guy with a big heart. He knows it takes more than flash and big talk to win -- it takes loyalty, smarts and a lot of hard work. And Tex ought to know; he started Dinoco with just one tiny oil well, and now he runs the largest oil empire in the world."
Cars 3
- Bios
- "Ever since Lightning McQueen was the hottest rookie sensation blazing up the racetrack, iconic Dinoco team owner Tex has been in pursuit to see the iconic number 95 in his Dinoco blue. He asks McQueen every chance he gets, even in front of Tex's current Dinoco racer, Cal. Psst, Cal, he's not kidding."[1]
Portrayals
- H. A. Wheeler - Cars
Quotes
- "Oh-ee! That was one close finish. You sure made Dinoco proud. Thank you, King." - Cars
- "Hey, now look at that boy out there!" - Cars
Gallery
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Polish | Tex Dinoco | Tex Dinoco |
| Spanish | Tex Dinoco | Tex Dinoco |
| French | Tex Dinoco | Tex Dinoco |
| Ukrainian | Техас Дайношось | Texas
Дайношось (Dainoshos') is a pun of Дай но шось (Dai no shos') — Give something |
| Russian | Тех Диноко | Teh Dinoco. In Russian alphabet, letter X reads 'h'. It's displayed in many foreign names (Tehas, Mehiko (for city, country is named Meksika)) |
Trivia
- Tex has a similar car body to Mel Dorado from Cars 2, a TV show host.
- Tex's first name is a reference to his home (Texas) and strong Texan dialect. It could also be a reference to THX's mascot of the same name (who Pixar also created).
- Depending on the diecast Tex will have green eyes, though his eyes are blue.