In Pixar’s Cars, what racing trophy are the competitors fighting to win?

The competitors are fighting to win the Piston Cup in Pixar’s Cars.

The Piston Cup is the major stock-car racing championship featured in the first film. Lightning McQueen, Chick Hicks, and Strip “The King” Weathers finish the season tied, so they must compete in a final race to determine the champion.

McQueen’s desire to win the trophy drives the opening part of the story. He treats his team and transport truck poorly because he is focused on becoming a champion without depending on anyone else. His time in Radiator Springs gradually changes that attitude.

The Piston Cup is a fictional competition, but its presentation draws on American stock-car racing, especially NASCAR-style oval racing. In later films, the series introduces other competitions, including the World Grand Prix in Cars 2. That distinction makes “Piston Cup” the specific answer for the original Cars film.