In Pixar’s Cars, the championship trophy is called the Piston Cup.
The Piston Cup is the central prize in the film’s racing storyline. Lightning McQueen, Strip “The King” Weathers, and Chick Hicks finish the season tied for the championship, leading to a deciding race at the Los Angeles International Speedway.
The name is a playful reference to piston engines, whose pistons move inside cylinders to help power many gasoline engines. Pixar uses the trophy to establish a fictional racing culture that resembles American stock-car competition without copying a real championship exactly.
The Piston Cup also gives the first Cars film its main external goal. McQueen initially focuses almost entirely on winning it, but his time in Radiator Springs changes his priorities. In later films, the series continues to use racing championships and sponsorships as part of its fictional sports world.