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

The Piston Cup is the racing series featured in Pixar's Cars. Lightning McQueen competes in the championship while trying to win the season's decisive race and secure the sponsorship associated with the Dinoco team.

The Piston Cup is a fictional stock-car championship inspired by American racing, especially NASCAR-style oval competition. Its competitors include McQueen, veteran champion Strip Weathers, known as The King, and Chick Hicks. The title is represented by a large golden trophy shaped like an engine piston.

The Piston Cup remains important across the franchise, although Cars 2 shifts attention to the World Grand Prix and Cars 3 examines changes in racing technology. The series gives the films a shared sporting framework while allowing stories about competition, aging, celebrity, and the meaning of winning.