In Pixar’s Cars, Lightning McQueen’s main sponsor at the start of the film is Rust-eze.
Rust-eze is a fictional medicated bumper-ointment brand whose logo appears on McQueen’s racing livery. The sponsorship is not prestigious in McQueen’s eyes, and he dreams of replacing it with the famous Dinoco team after winning the Piston Cup.
McQueen’s relationship with Rust-eze changes during the story. By the end of the film, the Rust-eze owners, Rusty and Dusty Rust-eze, receive recognition and remain connected to McQueen’s career. The brand’s name is a visual joke built around rust removal and automobile maintenance.
Dinoco is the major sponsor McQueen covets, while Rust-eze is the sponsor he actually has when the story begins. This distinction is important because the sponsorship conflict helps establish his early ambition and impatience.