In Pixar’s Cars, Lightning McQueen wants to win the Piston Cup.
The Piston Cup is the championship prize at the center of the film’s opening and closing racing story. Lightning begins as a talented but arrogant rookie who is tied with veteran racer The King and rival Chick Hicks in the season standings. The final race is intended to decide the champion.
The cup is a fictional competition created for Pixar’s car universe. Its name is a playful reference to piston-powered engines and also evokes real American stock-car racing trophies. The film uses the championship to establish Lightning’s ambition before shifting the story toward his unexpected stay in Radiator Springs.
The Piston Cup should not be confused with the Dinoco sponsorship. Dinoco is a major racing brand and sponsor, while the Piston Cup is the championship itself. Lightning’s Rust-eze sponsorship is another separate part of the racing plot.