Lightning McQueen tries to win the Piston Cup in Pixar’s Cars.
At the beginning of the film, McQueen is a rookie competing in the Piston Cup season. A three-way tie at the end of the season forces a final race at the Los Angeles International Speedway, where he faces veteran champion Strip “The King” Weathers and rival Chick Hicks.
McQueen’s ambition to win the Piston Cup drives the opening plot. After becoming stranded in Radiator Springs, however, he learns that success is not only about finishing first. The residents help him repair his damaged body and develop a more considerate attitude toward competitors and friends.
The Piston Cup is fictional, but its name evokes real American stock-car racing trophies and series. In the Cars universe, the cup is strongly associated with the Dinoco sponsor and with The King’s long career. McQueen later wins Piston Cups, while Cars 3 examines what the championship means to him after newer technology changes racing.