NASCAR helped inspire the Piston Cup competition in Pixar's Cars.
The Piston Cup is the fictional stock-car racing championship pursued by Lightning McQueen, Strip Weathers, and Chick Hicks. Its oval-track racing, sponsor-heavy cars, pit strategy, and championship structure draw strongly from American stock-car racing, especially NASCAR.
Pixar consulted racing experts and incorporated authentic motorsport details into the film. Richard Petty, a seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, voiced Strip Weathers, also known as The King. His participation gave the fictional championship a direct connection to one of stock-car racing's most recognizable figures.
The Piston Cup is not simply another name for NASCAR. It is an invented competition within the Cars universe, with fictional teams, racers, and sponsors. NASCAR is the real-world racing series that provided much of the inspiration for its presentation and culture.