In Pixar’s Cars, what trophy are the leading racers competing to win?

The leading racers compete for the Piston Cup in Pixar’s Cars.

The Piston Cup is the championship trophy at the center of the film’s opening and closing races. Lightning McQueen, Chick Hicks, and Strip Weathers, known as The King, finish the season tied for the lead, forcing a three-way tiebreaker race in California. Lightning’s impatience during the journey to that race leads to his accidental arrival in Radiator Springs.

The fictional competition draws on the structure and imagery of American stock-car racing. Its name evokes an engine component while also echoing the kinds of sponsor-driven championship series familiar to motorsport audiences. Lightning initially treats the trophy as proof that he is better than everyone else.

The Piston Cup is different from the World Grand Prix, which is the international event featured in Cars 2. It is also separate from the Florida 500, the important race in Cars 3. The first film’s championship is ultimately shaped by Lightning’s changed attitude toward his rivals and friends.