What is the name of the racing trophy pursued in Pixar’s Cars?

The racing trophy pursued in Pixar’s Cars is the Piston Cup.

Lightning McQueen, Chick Hicks, and The King finish the season tied in points, so the championship is decided by a final race at the Los Angeles International Speedway. Lightning is determined to win the Piston Cup and secure the lucrative Dinoco sponsorship.

The Piston Cup is a fictional championship created for the Cars universe. Its name evokes real motorsport trophies and engine terminology, helping the animated world feel familiar to racing audiences. The race is the central competitive structure of the first film.

The film’s ending complicates the idea of victory: Chick Hicks wins after Lightning stops to help The King, while Lightning gains public admiration and chooses to remain with Rust-eze. The Cars films later introduce other competitions, including the World Grand Prix in Cars 2.