Cruz Ramirez becomes the new racer carrying Lightning McQueen’s number 95 in Pixar’s Cars 3.
Cruz begins the film as McQueen’s high-performance trainer at the Rust-eze Racing Center. Although she is highly knowledgeable about modern training technology, she has her own unfulfilled ambition to race. McQueen eventually recognizes her ability and encourages her to compete.
At the Florida 500, Cruz takes over McQueen’s racing position and uses his number 95. The change is not presented as McQueen simply disappearing from the story. Instead, it marks a transition in which he moves into a mentoring role while Cruz begins her own professional career.
Cruz is voiced by Cristela Alonzo. Her yellow design and energetic personality contrast with McQueen’s red body, but the shared number connects their racing stories. The ending also echoes Doc Hudson’s earlier role as McQueen’s mentor, creating a generational handoff within the franchise.