In Pixar’s Cars, which town does Lightning McQueen accidentally reach after leaving the highway?

In Pixar’s Cars, Lightning McQueen accidentally reaches Radiator Springs after leaving the highway.

The town is located on the fictional U.S. Route 66 and becomes the central setting of the film. Lightning gets there after being separated from his transport truck, Mack, and taking a wrong turn while trying to catch up.

Radiator Springs is a once-busy roadside community whose fortunes declined after Interstate 40 bypassed it. The film uses that history to connect its characters with the real decline of many Route 66 towns after newer highways diverted traffic.

Lightning initially wants to leave as quickly as possible, but his court-ordered community service, friendships, and relationship with Sally Carrera change his priorities. The town’s name is sometimes confused with Carburetor County, the fictional county where it is located, but Radiator Springs is the town itself.