In Pixar's Cars, Chick Hicks officially wins the Piston Cup after the final race at Los Angeles International Speedway.
The finale begins with Lightning McQueen, The King, and Chick Hicks tied in points, so the race determines the champion. Chick causes The King to crash while battling for the lead. Lightning then stops before the finish line and pushes The King across, sacrificing his own chance to win.
Because Lightning does not finish first, Chick receives the official victory and the Piston Cup. His celebration is immediately overshadowed by the crowd's condemnation of his aggressive move and Lightning's sportsmanship. The sequence makes the distinction between winning the trophy and earning public respect.
A frequent misunderstanding is that Lightning wins the race because he is the film's protagonist. He does not. The ending instead establishes that Chick is the official race winner, while Lightning becomes the moral winner by helping The King finish.