Chick Hicks wins the Piston Cup in Pixar’s Cars after causing The King to crash.
During the decisive three-way race, Chick uses an illegal sideswipe that sends The King into a dangerous crash. Lightning McQueen reaches the finish line first, but he stops before accepting victory because he wants to help The King complete his final race.
Chick crosses the line and is awarded the Piston Cup, even though the crowd strongly rejects his aggressive conduct. The ending establishes an important distinction between winning a trophy and showing sportsmanship. McQueen’s choice leads him to receive the Dinoco sponsorship that Chick had expected.
The King, whose real name is Strip Weathers, is retiring after the race. Chick’s green-and-purple design and number 86 make him easy to identify, but his victory is often misremembered because McQueen is the story’s hero and crosses the finish line in the same climactic sequence.