In Pixar’s Cars, what trophy do racers compete for in the film’s championship?

In Pixar’s Cars, racers compete for the Piston Cup.

The Piston Cup is the championship prize at the center of Lightning McQueen’s rookie season. The film begins with McQueen preparing for the decisive race after a three-way tie with Chick Hicks and The King. The result determines the season champion and the lucrative Dinoco sponsorship.

The trophy is a fictional counterpart to awards associated with American stock-car racing. Pixar created its own competition rather than naming a real racing series, allowing the story to use familiar racing ideas while building an original world of animated vehicles.

The championship also reveals McQueen’s changing priorities. Although he initially values the trophy and sponsorship above everything else, his experiences in Radiator Springs lead him to make a sportsmanlike choice during the final race. Later Cars films continue to feature the Piston Cup as the franchise’s main racing championship.