In Pixar's Cars, Route 66 brings Lightning McQueen to Radiator Springs.
Lightning is traveling toward California for the final Piston Cup race when he becomes separated from his transport truck. A wrong turn leads him onto old Route 66, where he reaches the fictional town of Radiator Springs. The road becomes the setting for his unexpected stay and personal transformation.
The film draws heavily on the real U.S. Route 66, the historic highway that once connected Chicago and Santa Monica. Route 66 was established in 1926 and was removed from the United States Highway System in 1985, but many surviving towns and businesses still celebrate its history.
Cars uses fictional geography, so Radiator Springs is not a real town on Route 66. The road itself is real, and the film helped renew popular interest in Route 66 landmarks and roadside culture.