In Pixar’s Cars, what fictional town does Lightning McQueen damage before repairing its road?

Lightning McQueen damages the road in Radiator Springs in Pixar’s Cars.

After escaping from his transport truck, McQueen becomes separated from the race convoy and reaches the small desert town. While trying to flee, he damages the main road. The town’s judge, Doc Hudson, orders him to repair the road before leaving.

Radiator Springs is the emotional center of the film. Its residents—including Mater, Sally Carrera, Flo, Ramone, and Luigi—teach McQueen about friendship and the communities bypassed by modern highways. The town’s decline is tied to the construction of Interstate 40, which redirected traffic away from historic Route 66.

Radiator Springs is fictional, but its design draws from real Route 66 places and landscapes. It should not be confused with Motorville, the fictional town mentioned in connection with McQueen’s background, or with the real communities that inspired individual locations.