Who wins the first race shown in Pixar’s Cars 3?

Jackson Storm wins the first race shown in Pixar’s Cars 3.

The opening race is a Piston Cup event in which Lightning McQueen competes against a field that includes the technologically advanced Jackson Storm. Storm’s speed and modern design reveal how quickly a new generation of racers is changing the sport. McQueen eventually crashes while trying to keep up, beginning the film’s central challenge.

Jackson Storm is voiced by Armie Hammer and functions as McQueen’s principal rival. His success is not presented as a single lucky victory: he represents data-driven training, simulation, advanced materials, and highly optimized racing technology.

The opening loss pushes McQueen to seek help from the Rust-eze Racing Center and trainer Cruz Ramirez. The plot later changes the relationship between McQueen and Cruz, but Jackson Storm remains the racer whose dominance starts McQueen’s crisis. The race is not the final championship outcome.