The trophy Lightning McQueen wins in Pixar’s Cars 3 is the Piston Cup. In the film’s opening race, McQueen defeats Jackson Storm and takes the event’s trophy before Storm’s technological advantage changes the course of his career.
The Piston Cup is the main stock-car racing championship and trophy tradition in the Cars films. In Cars, McQueen competes for the season title and shares a three-way tie with Chick Hicks and The King. Cars 3 revisits that racing world from the perspective of an older champion.
The Piston Cup is sometimes confused with the Dinoco sponsorship associated with The King and later McQueen. Dinoco is a sponsor and racing brand, not the name of the championship itself. Cars 3 also includes training and racing connected with McQueen’s attempt to return to competitive form.