Tex is a friendly and respectful car who knows that racing isn't about speed and winning. He knows it takes a lot of hard work, loyalty, smarts and enthusiasm and is happy to race anyone who has what it takes. Tex wants any racer like Lightning or Chick Hicks to earn the Dinoco sponsorship due to The King retiring, though he seems to despise Chick due to his cheating and crashing The King and winning the Piston Cup unfairly. As a result, he shows compassion and love when he tries to offer the sponsorship to McQueen for good sportsmanship on helping The King, saying that there are more things in life than winning.
"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."[1]
In Cars, Tex is first seen driving alongside The King and his wife, near the Dinoco tent.
Later, in Lightning McQueen's daydream of Chick Hicks getting sponsored by Dinoco, Chick touches Tex with his tire, and both of them along with the Dinoco gang laugh. He is then seen with Chick when the text "The New Face of Dinoco" is shown.
At the Los Angeles International Speedway race, he and Lynda cheer on for The King. They both get shocked when Chick angrily rams The King off the track and winning the Piston Cup unfairly, but are happy to see McQueen accept loss by forfeiting the win so he can push The King towards the finish line.
At the end of the film, he offers Lightning the chance to become the new face of Dinoco as a reward for his selfless sportsmanship, but is turned down. He later lets Mater ride in the Dinoco team helicopter.
He also reappears in Cars 3. In Cars 3, it is also known that he likes to make jokes, as after Lightning McQueen won another race, Tex Dinoco said to Lightning, "Just say the word and I'll boot Cal off of Dinoco's team and replace him with you" and later, when McQueen leaves, Tex says to Cal, "Oh come on now, I'm joking". Later, at the end of the film, Tex also owns Rust-eze, having bought it from Sterling.
Tex's license plate reads "DINOCO". The same applies for Dex, his Cars Toons doppelganger.
Tex has a similar car body to Mel Dorado, a TV show host in Cars 2.
Tex's 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).
At the very end of the movie Tex says "If there's any thing I can do for you, just let me know." and Lightning McQueen says "I sure appreciate that thank you, actually there is one thing." At the end of Cars 2 the exact same quote is heard when Finn McMissile lets Mater keep his rockets.
Mater's Tall Tales:Rescue Squad Mater • Mater the Greater • El Materdor • Tokyo Mater • Unidentified Flying Mater • Monster Truck Mater • Heavy Metal Mater • Moon Mater • Mater Private Eye • Air Mater • Time Travel Mater Tales From Radiator Springs:Hiccups • Bugged • Spinning • The Radiator Springs 500½ Canceled Episodes:To Protect and Serve
Cars on the Road:Dino Park • Lights Out • Salt Fever • The Legend • Show Time • Trucks • B-Movie • Road Rumblers • Gettin' Hitched
Cars 2:You Might Think • Polyrhythm • Mon Cœur Fait Vroum (My Heart Goes Vroom) • Collision of Worlds • Nobody's Fool Cars 3:Run That Race • King's Highway • Glory Days • Ride Cars on the Road:Cars on the Road • TRUCKS Others:Free Ride • Welcome to Radiator Springs • Radiator Rock • Mambo Italiano • Stop in the Name of Love • Riding in My Car (Car Car Song) • Low Rider (Espanol Fantasma Mix) • Junkyard Jamboree • Big Bulldozer • Tow Mater (The One You Want to Call) • Mater's Square Dance • Let's Go Driving
Radiator Springs • Luigi's Casa Della Tires • Ramone's House of Body Art • Cozy Cone Motel • Fillmore's Taste-In • Flo's V8 Café • Mrs. Piston • Willy's Butte • Radiator Springs Curios • Radiator Springs Drive-In Theatre • Wheel Well Motel • London, England • Paris, France • Porto Corsa • Tokyo • California • Los Angeles International Speedway • Motor Speedway of the South • Ornament Valley • Big Ben • Top Down Truckstop • Big Bentley • Hollywood
