Lightning McQueen is the rookie race car who becomes the main character of Pixar’s 2006 film Cars.
At the beginning of Cars, McQueen is a talented but self-centered competitor preparing for the tiebreaker race of the Piston Cup season. A mishap leaves him stranded near the small town of Radiator Springs, where he is required to repair damage to the local road before continuing.
His time in Radiator Springs changes his priorities. Characters such as Doc Hudson, Sally Carrera, Mater, and the town’s other residents teach him that friendship, loyalty, and sportsmanship matter more than winning alone. McQueen eventually chooses to help a rival rather than claim victory at any cost.
The character returned in Cars 2 and Cars 3, as well as related shorts, games, and merchandise. Lightning McQueen is voiced by Owen Wilson in the feature films. He is commonly associated with the number 95, a reference to Pixar’s first feature film, Toy Story, released in 1995.