In Pixar’s Cars, Lightning McQueen competes for the Piston Cup in the season finale.
The Piston Cup is the fictional stock-car racing championship at the center of the film’s plot. Lightning finishes tied with Chick Hicks and The King after the final race, so a tiebreaking race is arranged at the Los Angeles International Speedway.
The championship is modeled on American stock-car racing, especially NASCAR. The races use oval tracks, pit crews, sponsors, and brightly branded cars, creating a world where vehicles fill the roles normally played by human athletes and teams.
Lightning learns that winning is not the only measure of success. During the final race, he gives up a likely victory to help The King after Chick causes a crash. Although Lightning does not receive the trophy, his decision earns broad respect.