What is the name of the racing championship in Pixar's Cars films?

The Piston Cup is the racing championship in Pixar's Cars films.

The first Cars film follows Lightning McQueen as he competes for the Piston Cup, a fictional stock-car racing title modeled partly on American motorsport. The movie begins with McQueen, Chick Hicks, and veteran champion The King tied for the championship, forcing a final tiebreaker race in California.

The Piston Cup remains important in Cars 3, where McQueen's struggle to remain competitive is measured against younger racers such as Jackson Storm. The trophy's name also echoes the real-world Piston Cup-style imagery of engines, pistons, and racing machinery.

The championship should not be confused with the World Grand Prix, which is the international event at the center of Cars 2. Nor is it the Florida 500, a specific race featured in Cars 3. In the fictional racing hierarchy, the Piston Cup is the season-level championship, while individual races help determine who competes for or wins it.