Strip Weathers had won seven Piston Cups before Pixar's Cars 3.
Strip Weathers, better known as The King, is a veteran racer and one of the most respected figures in the Cars universe. His seven championships establish him as a benchmark for Lightning McQueen and other competitors.
The King appears in Cars as a leading competitor in the Piston Cup season. He is sponsored by Dinoco and drives the familiar blue No. 43 car, a tribute to real stock-car racing imagery associated with Richard Petty. Petty provides The King's voice in the first film.
Cars 3 revisits The King's legacy through Lightning's attempt to understand what comes after a champion's peak. The number seven refers to championships, not race victories, seasons, or the number painted on his car. That distinction matters because The King's racing number is 43, while his championship total is seven.