In Pixar's Cars, which town does Lightning McQueen accidentally get stranded in?

In Pixar's Cars, Lightning McQueen is accidentally stranded in Radiator Springs.

Radiator Springs is a fictional desert town on historic U.S. Route 66. Lightning reaches it after being separated from Mack and damaging the town's road. A judge orders him to repair the road before he can leave, forcing the ambitious race car to spend time with the town's residents.

The town's decline reflects the history of Route 66 communities bypassed by newer interstate highways. Cars draws on real roadside architecture and landscapes from the American Southwest, especially places visited by the filmmakers during research trips. Radiator Springs should not be confused with Ornament Valley, the broader scenic area featured in Cars Land at Disney California Adventure. The town becomes Lightning's emotional home and returns in the sequels.