Cruz Ramirez replaces Lightning McQueen as Rust-eze’s racer in Pixar’s Cars 3.
Cruz begins as Lightning’s trainer at the Rust-eze Racing Center. She is a highly capable yellow race car, but her dream of competing has been held back by a lack of confidence and by assumptions about who belongs on the track.
After Lightning struggles against the technologically advanced Jackson Storm, he and Cruz train together. Their relationship develops from coach and trainee into a partnership, and Cruz eventually takes Lightning’s place in the decisive Florida 500.
Cal Weathers is another important racer in Cars 3, while Sally Carrera is Lightning’s friend in Radiator Springs. Neither replaces him as Rust-eze’s racer.