In Pixar's Cars, NASCAR provides the model for the film's Piston Cup competition.
The Piston Cup is a fictional stock-car racing championship, but its oval-track races, sponsor-heavy cars, pit crews, and championship structure draw heavily on NASCAR. Pixar consulted racing figures and used stock-car conventions to make Lightning McQueen's professional world recognizable while giving it a talking-car identity.
The film also uses real racing culture in its character design. The King reflects the image of an established champion, Chick Hicks embodies an aggressive veteran rival, and Lightning begins as a young driver focused on individual fame. Their relationships echo familiar themes from professional motorsport without making the Piston Cup an official NASCAR event.
Formula One and IndyCar are different racing disciplines with distinct car designs and track traditions. Because Cars 2 features international racing and Cars 3 emphasizes technological development, viewers may associate the franchise with other series, but the original Piston Cup is modeled chiefly on NASCAR.