Cars 3 introduces Jackson Storm as Lightning McQueen’s younger rival.
Released in 2017, Cars 3 focuses on a new generation of technologically advanced race cars challenging established competitors. Jackson Storm is the leading example: a sleek, highly trained racer whose performance makes Lightning question whether he can remain competitive.
The story follows Lightning’s efforts to adapt with help from Cruz Ramirez, a trainer who later becomes central to the film’s resolution. Although the movie contains major races, its central theme is the transition between generations and the difference between winning alone and helping another racer succeed.
Jackson Storm is sometimes confused with Chick Hicks, Lightning’s principal rival in the first Cars film. Chick is a green veteran racer who competes against Lightning in the 2006 movie, while Storm is the black next-generation racer introduced in Cars 3.