In Pixar’s Cars, three racers share the final Piston Cup tie.
The deciding race ends with Lightning McQueen, Chick Hicks, and The King crossing the finish line together after Chick’s actions contribute to a crash involving Lightning and The King. Because the result cannot immediately separate the competitors, the officials call for a tiebreaker race.
Lightning had entered the finale focused on winning alone, but his priorities change after seeing The King injured. In the tiebreaker, he chooses to help The King finish rather than accept an easy victory, allowing Chick Hicks to take the official win.
The three-way tie is often confused with the final race’s eventual result. Chick wins the rescheduled contest, but the original Piston Cup finale is the moment that produces the three-way deadlock.