The Piston Cup is a racing trophy that appears in the Disney/Pixar Cars film series. It is part of the Piston Cup stock car racing circuit, which is awarded to the winning racer. The Piston Cup got its name due to its piston shape. Ironically Chick Hicks got the award once, despite cheating to get it.
Appearances[]
Cars[]
It began at the Motor Speedway of the South, where The King, Chick Hicks, and Lightning McQueen tied three-way due to McQueen sticking out his tongue in an attempt to win without assistance after blowing both of his tires. A tiebreaker 200-lap race was held a week later, at the Los Angeles International Speedway. The King initially held the lead, followed closely by Chick, but Lightning quickly fell behind as he was thinking of his friends at Radiator Springs. However, they came to serve as his pit crew and cheered him on, given him the confidence to catch up to his rivals. In the final lap, Lightning takes the lead, and Chick, fed up with coming second to The King, deliberately sends him rolling off the speedway, causing him to crash violently as the fans, Lynda and Tex watch in horror. Lightning sees this and stops at the finish line to go back and help The King end his racing career on a high note, letting Chick win instead and knowing that he can't let The King suffer the same fate as Doc. Lightning then helped The King cross the finish line, allowing them both to finish with dignity, 2nd and 3rd place respectively. A total of 36 cars competed in the series and 3 tracks are known.
Chick Hicks was the official winner of the race and the new champion, but his fans and media were outraged and upset at his behavior on the track and booed him for being a cheater and ramming The King. They pelted Chick with debris, merchandise, tires, and fired confetti at him instead of using it as a victory celebration, forcing him off the stage in humiliation as he took his newly won trophy with him. Lightning was cheered and hailed by his fans and friends for his good sportsmanship on the track, along with The King and was given the chance by Tex to become the new face of Dinoco to succeed Weathers, but turns it down and decides to stay with Rust-Eze. McQueen does, however, decide to have Tex give Mater the chance of riding a helicopter.
The redesigned Piston Cup featured in Cars 2
Cars 2[]
In Cars 2, this cup was renamed the Hudson Hornet Piston Cup in memory of the deceased Doc Hudson, a former Piston Cup racer and mentor of McQueen. It is mentioned that Lightning McQueen won the Piston Cup four times offscreen.
Lightning McQueen's design in the movie incorporates the design of the new Piston Cup on his hood rather than the Rust-eze logo.
Cars 3[]
In the new season, the racecars, including new rookie Jackson Storm, race at the Motor Speedway of the South, Grandol Oil Co. Raceway, Copper Canyon, BnL Raceway, and Rustbelt Raceway. At one point, McQueen and Cruz Ramirez use a former circuit, called the Thomasville Speedway, to do some practice.
It's also revealed that Chick Hicks still owns the Piston Cup trophy he won in the first movie. He presents his trophy when hosting his show, Chick's Picks with Chick Hicks, even telling the audience how he won it.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- As of now, five characters from the Cars universe have won the Piston Cup. Doc Hudson won 3 from 1951 to 1953. The King won 7. Chick Hicks won a title (although due to his actions it was often looked over). Lightning McQueen is tied with the King for the most cups, also having 7, and Storm won a title during the events of Cars 3. In real life, Darrell Waltrip won three titles, while Dale Earnhardt, Jr. won two titles from 1998 to 1999, though it is not mentioned if their car counterparts have won titles prior to the events of the first film.
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