In Pixar's Cars, Lightning McQueen is competing in the Piston Cup when the film begins. The opening sequence shows him taking part in a three-way tie-breaker race to determine the season's champion.
McQueen is a rookie sponsored by Rust-eze, and he is focused on winning the championship and securing a future association with the prestigious Dinoco team. The race ends in an unusual three-car tie involving McQueen, Chick Hicks, and The King, setting up the film's main journey.
The Piston Cup is a fictional racing championship rather than the Dinoco 400, which is a specific race shown later in the story. Cars uses familiar stock-car racing ideas while creating its own teams, sponsors, trophies, and championship structure.