In Pixar's Cars, what town does Lightning McQueen accidentally damage and then help restore?

In Pixar's Cars, Lightning McQueen accidentally damages Radiator Springs and then helps restore it.

After falling from Mack's trailer, Lightning becomes lost and reaches the small desert town while trying to rejoin the race route. His speeding damages the town's main road, and a court order requires him to repair it under Doc Hudson's supervision.

Radiator Springs is a fictional community on historic Route 66. Its decline reflects the real-world effect of interstate highways bypassing older roadside towns. Lightning's forced stay changes his priorities: he learns about friendship, local history, and community rather than focusing only on winning the Piston Cup.

The town remains central to the Cars universe. It becomes Lightning's home base and appears again in Cars 2 and Cars 3, although the later films expand the setting to international racing and modern training facilities.