Dinoco is the Piston Cup sponsor Lightning McQueen earns in Pixar’s Cars.
At the end of the first film, McQueen refuses to accept an easy victory after The King crashes. He helps the veteran racer reach the finish line, allowing Chick Hicks to win the race while McQueen gains respect from the crowd and the racing community.
Although Hicks takes the official victory, Dinoco chooses McQueen as its new sponsored driver because of his sportsmanship. Dinoco is represented by a blue petroleum brand and is associated with The King before McQueen becomes its champion.
Rust-eze is McQueen’s original sponsor, so the two brands are often mixed up. Rust-eze promotes a medicated bumper ointment, while Dinoco is the prestigious sponsor McQueen receives after the climactic Piston Cup event. Dinoco also appears elsewhere in Pixar’s connected fictional universe, including a recognizable reference in Toy Story.