In Pixar's Cars 3 (2017), the young trainer who helps Lightning McQueen prepare for racing is Cruz Ramirez.
Cruz works at the Rust-eze Racing Center, where she uses modern training technology to prepare athletes. She is assigned to help McQueen after the veteran racer struggles against Jackson Storm, a new-generation competitor. Their early sessions are frustrating because McQueen dislikes being treated as an outdated experiment.
Cruz is more than a technical assistant. She once dreamed of becoming a racer herself, but she lost confidence after being told that she did not belong in competition. Working with McQueen gradually brings that ambition back. Their relationship becomes the emotional center of Cars 3 and changes both characters.
Cruz is voiced by Cristela Alonzo. She is a yellow sport utility vehicle, contrasting visually with McQueen's red race car and Storm's sleek black design. The film's story ultimately presents racing as a shared passion rather than something reserved for one generation or one type of competitor.