Route 66 inspires the road trip that brings Lightning McQueen to Radiator Springs in Pixar’s Cars.
The film’s story is closely connected with historic U.S. Route 66, the famous highway that once linked Chicago and Santa Monica. After McQueen becomes separated from Mack, he accidentally damages the road through Radiator Springs and is ordered to repair it.
Radiator Springs is a fictional Arizona community whose decline reflects the effect of newer interstate highways on towns along Route 66. The movie uses that setting to contrast modern speed with older roadside culture, local businesses, and personal connections.
Cars does not present Radiator Springs as a literal real town. Instead, Pixar combined details from several Route 66 locations, including roadside attractions and communities visited by the filmmakers during research trips. This is why viewers may recognize several different southwestern landscapes and businesses in the fictional town.