In Pixar's Cars 3, Cruz Ramirez becomes the first racer to win the Piston Cup for Rust-eze.
Cruz begins Cars 3 as a trainer at the Rust-eze Racing Center, not as an established Piston Cup competitor. After helping Lightning McQueen prepare for his comeback, she reveals that she has always wanted to race. Lightning encourages her to take his place in the final race against Jackson Storm.
Cruz uses both her own abilities and lessons drawn from Lightning's experience. She passes Storm and wins the race, while Lightning supports her from the pit area. Afterward, she becomes Rust-eze's new racer and Lightning adopts a mentoring role.
This ending is sometimes misstated as another Lightning victory. Lightning remains a major champion and helps secure the outcome, but Cruz is the racer who crosses the finish line first in the film's final race. The result also echoes the mentorship cycle established between Doc Hudson and Lightning.