In Pixar's Cars 3, which racer defeats Jackson Storm to win the Florida 500?

In Pixar's Cars 3, Cruz Ramirez defeats Jackson Storm to win the Florida 500.

Cruz begins the film as McQueen's high-performance trainer at the Rust-eze Racing Center. Although she has racing ability, she has been directed toward coaching rather than pursuing her own dream of competing.

During the Florida 500, McQueen changes strategy and allows Cruz to take his place in the race. She uses her skills and advice from McQueen to challenge the dominant next-generation racer Jackson Storm and take the victory.

The ending does not erase McQueen's importance. He continues racing under the mentorship of his former rival, while Cruz becomes a new racer for the Rust-eze team. The result is a handoff between generations rather than McQueen's disappearance.