The fictional town where Pixar's Cars begins after Lightning McQueen gets lost is Radiator Springs.
McQueen reaches Radiator Springs while traveling between races and becomes separated from his transport truck, Mack. After damaging the town's road, he is required to repair it before leaving. The resulting community experience changes his priorities and introduces him to characters including Doc Hudson, Sally Carrera, Mater, and Ramone.
Radiator Springs is presented as a once-thriving roadside community along historic U.S. Route 66. The town's decline follows the construction of Interstate 40, which diverts traffic away from the old highway. This setting gives the film a strong connection to the history and imagery of Route 66 in the American Southwest.
Radiator Springs is fictional, although its businesses, landscape, and roadside architecture were inspired by real places. It should not be confused with Ornament Valley, the surrounding fictional region seen in the films and related media.