What is the fictional county where Pixar's Cars places Radiator Springs?

Pixar's Cars places Radiator Springs in the fictional Carburetor County.

Radiator Springs is a small desert town on the old U.S. Route 66. The town's decline begins when Interstate 40 bypasses it, diverting traffic and reducing the businesses that depended on travelers. Lightning McQueen reaches the town after accidentally damaging the road and being ordered to repair it.

Carburetor County is a vehicle-themed name that fits the film's world, where cars fill human social roles and automotive terms replace ordinary human references. The story does not present Radiator Springs as a real town; instead, it combines features associated with Route 66 communities in the American Southwest.

The film's road-trip setting was influenced by research trips taken by Pixar artists, including visits along Route 66. Sally Carrera becomes the town's advocate for preservation and tourism, while the repaired road helps reconnect Radiator Springs with passing travelers. The town therefore represents both a fictional place and a tribute to historic roadside America.