Who is the main rival racer Lightning McQueen faces in Pixar’s Cars?

Chick Hicks is Lightning McQueen’s main rival racer in Pixar’s Cars.

Hicks is a veteran Piston Cup competitor who drives for Hostile Takeover Bank. He is identified by his green paint job and the number 86. Unlike McQueen, Hicks is willing to use aggressive and unsportsmanlike tactics to win, making him the principal racing antagonist of the first film.

The climactic race is complicated when McQueen stops to help The King, Strip Weathers, after Hicks causes a crash. McQueen loses the championship opportunity by pushing The King across the finish line, while Hicks wins the Piston Cup. The victory does not make Hicks a heroic figure; the crowd’s reaction emphasizes the difference between winning and earning respect.

Chick Hicks is not the primary rival in Cars 3. That role belongs to Jackson Storm, a newer-generation racer who challenges McQueen’s place in the sport.