Lightning McQueen is accidentally diverted onto Route 66 in Pixar's Cars.
While being transported to California for the Dinoco 400, Lightning escapes from Mack's truck during a stop. He becomes lost and ends up on the historic highway, where a chain of events brings him to Radiator Springs. His reckless driving there leads to the town's road being damaged.
U.S. Route 66 was established in 1926 and originally connected Chicago with Los Angeles. It became famous through travel, music, literature, and roadside businesses before being removed from the United States Numbered Highway System in 1985. Many surviving sections remain cultural and tourist landmarks.
Cars uses the highway's history to contrast fast modern travel with slower roadside life. The film's fictional town and several characters reflect real Route 66 locations and personalities. The road is often called the Mother Road, a nickname popularized by John Steinbeck's 1939 novel The Grapes of Wrath.