In Pixar's Cars 3, the final major competition is the Florida 500.
The Florida 500 is the same named event seen near the beginning of the film, when Jackson Storm defeats Lightning McQueen and McQueen crashes. The race returns at the climax after McQueen prepares with Cruz Ramirez and Doc Hudson’s old dirt-racing lessons. Its repeated role gives the story a clear comeback structure.
McQueen enters the final event as Cruz’s crew chief, but the race changes when Cruz takes his place on the track. McQueen then supports her from the pit area and helps her compete against Storm. This reversal is important because it transforms the meaning of McQueen’s return: he is no longer racing only for his own career.
The Florida 500 is not the Piston Cup itself, although it is connected to the Piston Cup racing world. The World Grand Prix belongs to Cars 2. Remembering the exact race name matters because Cars 3 uses the same event as both its opening setback and its concluding opportunity.