By the end of Pixar’s Cars 3, Lightning McQueen has won seven Piston Cups.
Lightning enters Cars 3 as a veteran champion whose position is threatened by the arrival of technologically advanced racers such as Jackson Storm. After a crash and an unsuccessful attempt to compete with the new generation, he trains with Cruz Ramirez and rethinks what it means to remain part of racing.
In the final race, Lightning changes strategy and allows Cruz to take his place on the track. Cruz wins the race, while Lightning returns to his classic racing colors and continues racing under the mentorship of The King. The film’s ending presents the achievement as part of a transition between generations.
Lightning’s seventh championship is not shown as a conventional solo victory in the final race. That distinction is why the total can be confused with the number of Piston Cups he personally wins on-screen during the film.