In Pixar’s Cars, which town does Lightning McQueen enter after getting lost?

In Pixar’s Cars, Lightning McQueen enters Radiator Springs after getting separated from the convoy on Route 66.

McQueen is being transported to California for the tiebreaker race when he becomes lost and damages the town’s main road. A court order requires him to remain in Radiator Springs and repair the road, bringing him into contact with Doc Hudson, Sally Carrera, Mater, and the other residents.

Radiator Springs is a fictional community on historic U.S. Route 66. Its setting reflects real Route 66 landscapes and roadside towns, especially in the American Southwest. The town’s decline is linked in the story to the construction of Interstate 40, which diverts traffic away from the old highway.

The town’s name is sometimes confused with the real location inspiration behind it. Radiator Springs itself is fictional, even though many visual details draw on real places and Route 66 research.