In Pixar’s Cars, Lightning McQueen is trying to win the Piston Cup at the start of the film.
The movie opens after a three-way tie in the Piston Cup season finale between Lightning McQueen, Chick Hicks, and veteran racer The King. Because the tie cannot be settled, the racers are scheduled to compete in a final race at the Los Angeles International Speedway.
Lightning is a talented but inexperienced rookie who focuses heavily on winning and on securing the prestigious Dinoco sponsorship. While transporting himself to the decisive race, he becomes separated from his transport truck, Mack, and ends up in Radiator Springs.
The Piston Cup is a fictional racing championship created for the film. Its name and presentation evoke American stock-car racing, especially NASCAR. The King is the reigning champion at the beginning, while Chick Hicks is Lightning’s aggressive rival.