In Pixar's Cars, what trophy do the racers compete for?

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

The Piston Cup is the premier championship trophy in the film's stock-car racing world. The first movie begins with a three-way tie between Lightning McQueen, Chick Hicks, and The King, forcing a final race to determine the champion.

The name is a playful reference to piston engines, whose pistons move inside cylinders to produce power. It also echoes real American stock-car racing traditions without presenting the fictional competition as an official NASCAR event. The film's racing scenes borrow familiar elements such as pit crews, sponsors, drafting, and oval-track competition.

Doc Hudson's history makes the trophy important beyond the opening race. He won three Piston Cups before his career ended, and his disappointment at being forgotten helps explain his guarded relationship with racing. Lightning's changing attitude toward the championship becomes one of the film's major character developments.