What is Lightning McQueen's sponsor in Pixar's Cars movies?

Rust-eze is Lightning McQueen's sponsor in Pixar's Cars movies. The fictional company sells a rusty-car remedy, and its bright orange branding appears prominently on Lightning's body during the first film.

At the beginning of Cars, Lightning is a rookie race car competing in the Piston Cup. He initially dislikes the Rust-eze sponsorship because he wants the prestigious Dinoco team instead. His attitude changes as the story exposes his self-centered approach to racing and introduces him to the residents of Radiator Springs.

Rust-eze is associated with the Rusty and Dusty Rust-eze brothers, who discover Lightning after seeing his racing potential. Their sponsorship is central to the film's opening situation and remains part of Lightning's history even after his career and team affiliations evolve.

Dinoco is the most common wrong answer because it is the glamorous sponsor Lightning hopes to join. In the first movie, however, Dinoco is not his original sponsor; Rust-eze is the answer tied to his early Piston Cup career.