Lightning McQueen wants to win the Piston Cup in Pixar's Cars.
The Piston Cup is the championship trophy at the center of the first Cars film. Lightning is a rookie racer who ties with veteran racers The King and Chick Hicks at the end of the season, forcing a final race in California to determine the champion.
Lightning's obsession with winning the Cup drives the opening part of the story. He treats his team and transport truck as tools for success and is eager to replace the retiring King as the Dinoco-sponsored star. His time in Radiator Springs gradually changes those priorities.
The Piston Cup is a fictional competition inspired by stock-car racing, especially NASCAR. It should not be confused with the World Grand Prix, the international race series introduced in Cars 2. The trophy and championship also remain important references in Cars 3, where Lightning struggles with a younger generation of competitors.