What is the name of the fictional race series contested in Pixar’s Cars?

The Piston Cup is the fictional race series contested in Pixar’s Cars.

Lightning McQueen begins the film as a rookie competing in the Piston Cup season. The championship’s final race is complicated by a three-way tie involving McQueen, Chick Hicks, and The King. Their competition establishes McQueen’s ambition and sets up the road trip that leads him to Radiator Springs.

The Piston Cup is modeled on stock-car racing traditions, especially NASCAR. Its name also recalls the real Piston Cup trophy awarded in the NASCAR Winston Cup era. In the Cars universe, the cup is a major symbol of racing success and is associated with the Dinoco sponsor.

The Piston Cup should not be confused with the World Grand Prix in Cars 2. The World Grand Prix is an international competition created for the sequel, while the Piston Cup is the domestic racing series central to the original film and much of Cars 3.