In Pixar’s Cars 3, Cruz Ramirez becomes the new Piston Cup champion at the end of the film.
Cruz begins the movie as Lightning McQueen’s trainer, not as an established top-level racer. After discovering her own ability and gaining confidence, she takes Lightning’s place in the final race against Jackson Storm. She wins the race, earning the Piston Cup for the Dinoco team.
Lightning’s role is crucial even though he does not finish as the champion. He helps Cruz prepare and ultimately embraces a mentor’s role, echoing Doc Hudson’s influence on him in the first Cars movie. The ending therefore connects the new racer’s success with Lightning’s personal growth.
This result is often confused with the film’s opening races, where Jackson Storm dominates, or with Cars, where Lightning wins the final race after choosing not to accept an uncontested victory. Cars 3 deliberately gives its final victory to Cruz.