Lightning McQueen is a rookie race car with an attitude looking to win the prized Piston cup. When the race is a three way tie, another race between the three is announced to take place to decide the winner. On the way to the race which is held in California, Lightning gets lost and ends up in an abandoned town located on scenic Route 66 where he is held prisoner for wrecking the town road.

While repaving the road as a form of punishment, he learns the valuable lesson that winning isn't everything, and friendship is more valuable than he thought.