Which racer wins the three-way finish at the end of Pixar's Cars?

Chick Hicks wins the three-way finish at the end of Pixar's Cars.

The final race of Cars is arranged after the Piston Cup championship ends in a tie between Lightning McQueen and Chick Hicks. The King, whose racing name is Strip Weathers, is also part of the decisive race. Lightning is leading near the finish, but he stops to help The King after Chick causes a crash that sends the veteran racer tumbling.

Lightning pushes The King across the finish line instead of taking the victory for himself. Chick crosses first and receives the Piston Cup, but his win is overshadowed by the crowd's reaction and the criticism of his unsportsmanlike tactics.

A common mix-up is saying Lightning wins the first film's championship. He does not receive the trophy in that final race. The story treats his decision to help The King as a more meaningful moral victory, while Chick's official result establishes him as the technical winner.