Cruz Ramirez replaces Lightning McQueen as the racer who wins the final race in Pixar's Cars 3.
Cruz begins the film as Lightning's high-performance trainer at the Rust-eze Racing Center. Although she has racing ability, she initially lacks confidence because she has been placed in a coaching role rather than treated as a serious competitor.
At the Florida 500, Lightning changes strategy and puts Cruz into the race. She uses lessons learned from Lightning and Doc Hudson, then defeats Jackson Storm to win. Lightning subsequently adopts a mentor role and supports Cruz's racing career.
The ending does not mean Lightning disappears from the story. He remains involved with racing and training, while Cruz becomes the new Rust-eze racer. Cruz's victory is therefore a succession within the team, not simply a change of ownership or a different name for Lightning.