What racing championship is contested in Pixar's Cars?

The Piston Cup is the racing championship contested in Pixar's Cars. Lightning McQueen is a rookie competitor seeking the title at the end of the season, where he is tied with Chick Hicks and Strip “The King” Weathers.

The film's opening race establishes McQueen as fast but difficult to manage. Because he refuses to share a team transporter, he becomes separated from his support crew and ends up in Radiator Springs. His attempt to return to the championship race becomes the framework for the story's lessons about friendship, humility, and responsibility.

The Piston Cup is a fictional competition, but its presentation draws on American stock-car racing. The trophy and championship branding also connect the Cars world to Dinoco, a fictional sponsor. In Cars 3, McQueen again competes in the Piston Cup series while facing a new generation of racers.