In Pixar’s Cars 3, Cruz Ramirez becomes the new racer for the Dinoco team after the championship finale.
Cruz begins the film as Lightning McQueen’s trainer at the Rust-eze Racing Center, but her background as a talented racer becomes increasingly important. After helping Lightning prepare for his comeback, she takes his place in the decisive race and proves that she can compete successfully against Jackson Storm. The ending then gives her a new opportunity with Dinoco.
This development is easy to confuse with Lightning’s earlier ambition to join Dinoco. In the first Cars film, Lightning dreams of replacing The King as Dinoco’s sponsored champion. Cars 3 changes that expectation: Lightning chooses a mentoring role, while Cruz becomes Dinoco’s next racing star. Cruz is voiced by Cristela Alonzo, and her yellow design distinguishes her from the blue Dinoco branding she later carries. Her promotion is the film’s clearest symbol of a new generation entering professional racing.