Route 66 inspires Radiator Springs in Pixar’s Cars (2006).
The fictional town reflects the real communities that grew along U.S. Route 66, the historic highway linking Chicago and Santa Monica. The film uses Radiator Springs to explore how bypasses and newer roads reduced traffic through older roadside towns.
John Lasseter and the filmmakers researched Route 66 during a road trip, visiting landmarks, businesses, and landscapes associated with the highway. The trip helped shape the town’s architecture, desert setting, and emphasis on local history. The film’s plot makes this background personal when Lightning McQueen is forced to repair the road after damaging it.
Route 66 was officially established in 1926 and removed from the U.S. Highway System in 1985. Although no longer an official numbered highway, it remains a major cultural symbol of American road travel and is often called the “Mother Road.”