In Pixar's Cars 3, Cruz Ramirez drives the final race using Lightning McQueen's racing identity.
Lightning chooses Cruz to replace him in the decisive race after realizing that her talent and determination deserve an opportunity. She competes in his familiar racing colors and number while he takes on the role of her crew chief and mentor.
The change completes the film's central idea: racing legacy can continue through teaching, not only through personal victory. Cruz had been trained as a high-performance coach but had always wanted to race, and Lightning helps her overcome the expectations placed on her.
This moment is often simplified as Lightning winning the final race. He does participate in the event, but Cruz is the car racing under Lightning's identity and crosses the finish line first. The ending establishes her as a new professional racer.