Cars 3 introduced Jackson Storm as a new-generation racing rival.
Storm is a sleek, technologically advanced racer who quickly outperforms older competitors, including Lightning McQueen. His success creates the central problem of Cars 3: McQueen must decide whether he can adapt to a changing racing world.
Unlike Chick Hicks, who is a direct rival in the first film, Storm represents a newer generation of racers trained with advanced simulation, data, and modern performance methods. His confidence and dismissive attitude make him the main competitive antagonist of the story.
Cars 3 was released in 2017 and returned the series to a more focused racing-and-mentorship story after Cars 2's international spy plot. Storm remains an important benchmark for McQueen even after Cruz Ramirez takes the final victory.