Cars 3 features the demolition derby called the Crazy 8.
The event takes place at the Thomasville Speedway during Lightning McQueen’s training with Cruz Ramirez. Rather than competing in a conventional race, McQueen enters the rough-and-unpredictable demolition derby to improve his dirt-track skills and understand how newer competitors handle difficult conditions.
The Crazy 8 sequence introduces a different style of motorsport to the Cars films. Competitors collide, spin and use the uneven dirt surface to gain an advantage. McQueen’s training there is important because it forces him to rethink established habits and draw on techniques associated with Doc Hudson’s earlier racing career.
The event is exclusive to Cars 3 among the three main Cars feature films. Cars includes the Piston Cup and Radiator Springs races, while Cars 2 centers on the World Grand Prix. The Crazy 8 is therefore a useful identifying detail for the third film’s training and legacy storyline.