In Pixar's Cars 3, which racer is Lightning McQueen's main rival in the Florida 500?

In Pixar's Cars 3, Jackson Storm is Lightning McQueen's main rival in the Florida 500.

Jackson is a next-generation racer whose advanced design, data-driven training, and speed make him difficult for Lightning to defeat. His arrival begins the film's central conflict: established racers are being replaced by newer competitors whose technology gives them a major performance advantage.

Lightning's early attempt to compete with Jackson ends in a serious crash. Afterward, Lightning trains with Cruz Ramirez and searches for a way to improve without abandoning the lessons and identity formed during his earlier career. The Florida 500 becomes the decisive event in that effort.

Jackson is voiced by Armie Hammer. Unlike Chick Hicks in the first film, Jackson represents a different kind of antagonist: he is not primarily defined by old-fashioned cheating or intimidation, but by a new racing era that makes Lightning feel obsolete. The rivalry therefore supports the film's themes of adaptation, mentorship, and legacy.