U.S. Route 66 inspires the road setting and history of Radiator Springs in Pixar's Cars.
Route 66 was a major U.S. highway established in 1926, running from Chicago to Santa Monica. It became famous for carrying travelers across the country and for the motels, diners, service stations, and roadside attractions that grew around it. The highway was removed from the U.S. Highway System in 1985 after newer interstates replaced much of its traffic.
Cars uses that historical change as the town's central conflict. Radiator Springs loses visitors when Interstate 40 bypasses it, leaving the community economically isolated. Lightning McQueen initially sees the town as an obstacle, but its residents teach him why the old road still matters.
Pixar artists researched Route 66 before production, visiting landmarks and speaking with people connected to the highway. The film's fictional geography is not an exact map, but its themes and visual details clearly draw from the real road's cultural history.