Lightning McQueen

## Lightning McQueen

### Born

18 November 1977 (1977-11-18) (age 46)
Los Angeles, California, US

### Achivements

2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014 Piston Cup Racing Series Champion

## Piston Cup Racing Series career

### Number, Sponsor, Team

95
Rust-eze
Rust-eze Brothers Racing

## Piston Cup Xfinity Series career

### Number, Sponsor, Team

95
Smell Swell
Team Carbureski Motorsports

### Last Win

TBA

**Monty "Lightning" McQueen** (born November 18, 1977) is an American professional racing driver. A seven-time Piston Cup Racing Series champion, McQueen's seven Cup championships, two back to back championships from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2009 to 2010 and 3 more consecutive championships from 2012 to 2014 are tied with Strip Weathers for the most all-time

McQueen was born on November 18, 1977 in Los Angeles, California. During his life as a kid and as a teenager, Lightning was described as someone who preferred to be by himself which is why he didn't have that much many friends but did have a few. In 2000 Lightning joined a racing academy in his home town which is to help train racers to become future racing stars. He had some friends there, including his high school friend Carl who also joined the Academy. During the final Academy race of that year, Lightning was preparing when Carl noticed one of his tires, claiming that a loose lugnut was on it and helped Tighten it up for him. However during the closing stages of the race, it was found out that Carl had actually loosen the lugnut and thus finished 6th unable for him to get into the top 5 to get a sponsorship.

Carl soon won the sponsorship for DuPont in the Piston Cup Junior Racing Series after finishing the race in 4th and graduated shortly after that. McQueen promised himself to not trust any friends from then on and then became a self proclaimed "One Man Show". Lightning continued his studies, but kept to himself and didn’t make any more friends. One day during the schools monthly 25 lap sprint, McQueen broke the school record and won the sprint. As a result, his fellow students began calling him Lightning due to the sheer speed he was capable of him.

The nickname would stick with him for the rest of his life, after his best performance and a top 5 in the final race in 3rd, McQueen graduated shortly after and accepted to join Team Carbureski Motorsports in the 2002 Piston Cup Grand National Series, but would have to wait for a sponsorship. McQueen would go on to win his debut race after taking the lead for the last 2 laps. Before the 2003 season, a talent scout called Harv, told him about a Deodorant company called Smell Swell which had a sponsorship for him. Lightning would go ahead to accept the other and would be sponsored by Smell Swell.

However, the company was on a tight budget and a transporter to match. McQueen would usually have to stay up to the night to prevent his hauler Snyder from getting lost as Snyder had a terrible sense of direction. As a result, McQueen was constantly sleep deprived, and his performance deteriorated. At a Smell Swell publicity even in 2004 after the end of the Busch Series season, a red truck named Mack Haulsmith visited him, and was the only won who wanted to take a picture of him. Not long after, Smell Swell owner Benny J. Wells would fire McQueen from the team in favour of Sammy Smelter.

Mack had overheard the conversation McQueen had and approved him, offering him a sponsorship with his bosses, Rusty & Dusty, the owners of the bumper ointment company, Rust-Eze in order to replace Daniel Turner who retired from being both a racer for the company and their spokescar Although he was unusually hesitant due the fact that the product sponsoring him was for rusty cars, which he had a distaste for. McQueen agreed to the sponsorship. On the condition, Mack would be his transporter, and Lighting McQueen would go on to enter into the Piston Cup Racing Series in 2005.

## General Information

### Physical Description

Lightning's model is a hand-built racing car, built for racing purposes specifically. He is a mix of a stock car and a more curvaceous LMP endurance racer. He has modifications, like a red spoiler, and does not have headlights, only stickers. He has coil-over shocks with tubular A-arm front suspension, a solid axle rear end and vented disc brakes at all four wheels. He also has air flaps on his roof to prevent flipping. His engine is a 5.8L Piston Cup-based V8, with 750 horsepower, and a 4-speed transmission. His 0-60 speed is four seconds, and his top speed is 198 mph, but this is likely just because his speed was recorded on sand. On asphalt, his top speed is more likely a full 200 mph or over.

### Personality and traits

Lightning is kind, positive, courageous, and brave, and enjoys having fun and spending time with his friends, especially Mater. Prior to his arrival in Radiator Springs, Lightning was cocky and self-centered, only caring about two things: winning and the pride that comes with it. At the time, Lightning had no friends besides Mack and Harv, leaving him with limited social skills. Regardless, he was still a popular name in the racing world and was constantly being interviewed by the Press and admired by fans, much to his liking. When two fangirls drove up to him, they were taken away by security, after Lightning simply said, "*I love being me.*" Though the Radiator Springs residents were not very fond of him at first, they later befriended Lightning, and McQueen learned why it is important to have good friends. Lightning established Radiator Springs as his home base, and the wide publicity sparked interest in the town, which was soon put back on the map.

Lightning's best friend is Mater, whom he met when he woke up in the Impound. While Lightning did not like Mater at first, he began to like him after he took Lightning tractor tipping in the middle of the night. Mater and McQueen do several things together, including going tractor tipping regularly, driving backwards, driving along the Ornament Valley railroad tracks without tire treads, and occasionally racing each other. However, the two have their fair share of fights; most notably when Mater accidentally threw Lightning off track during the first race of the World Grand Prix, due to Lightning mistaking his banter with Holley Shiftwell for advice. Angry, Lightning yells at Mater and tells him he neither needs nor wants his help anymore. Saddened by this, Mater decides to return home to avoid making Lightning lose another race and apologizes to Lighting through a note. However, at the end of the film, Lightning and Mater make up, and together they expose Miles Axlerod and his plan.

Lightning's primary interest when he is not spending quiet time with his friends is racing. As a famous Piston Cup race car himself, Lightning has a remarkable talent for it, and enjoys practicing and competing in road races whenever he is not out on the Piston Cup track. McQueen has many formidable opponents, the many inhabitants of Radiator Springs, a group of British and Mexican rivals, various allies of Chick Hicks, international superstars, and other Piston Cup racers, notably Chick Hicks and, for a short time, The King. Lightning's obsession with victory and fame came to a close once he remembered the words of his mentor, Doc Hudson: "*It's just an empty cup.*" Lightning gave up his win at the tie-breaker race to help The King finish his last race. Lightning still enjoys spending quiet time with his friends, especially Sally Carrera, his girlfriend. Some of their favorite activities are taking a drive through the beautiful scenery of Tailfin Pass and enjoying dates at the Wheel Well Motel and other locations in Carburetor County.

## Career results

(Key) (**Bold** – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. *Italics*  – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. \* – Most laps led.)

## Pit Crew

* Crew Cheif - Greg Startman (11 races in 2005) Bill Tropspace (10 races in 2005) Chuck Hummer (14 races in 2005) Doc Hudson (2005 Los Angeles Tie-braker Race-2009) None (2010-2016) Smokey (2017 Florida 500)
* Tire Changer 1 - Not Chuck (2005 Florida 500 to Dinoco 400) Guido (2005 Los Angeles Tie-braker Race-2017 Florida 500)
* Tire Changer 2 - Joe Bonnet (2005 Florida 500 to Dinoco 400)
* Tire Carrier 1 - Austin Wheels (2005 Florida 500 to Dinoco 400)
* Tire Carrier 2 - Billy Turner (2005 Florida 500 to Dinoco 400)
* Jackman - Fernie Fork (2005 Florida 500 to Dinoco 400)
* Gasman - Harold Sullivan (2005 Florida 500 to Dinoco 400) Fillmore (2005 Los Angeles Tie-braker Race-2017 Florida 500)
* Utility Man - Donald Fuelings (2005 Florida 500 to Dinoco 400)
* Transporter - Mack Haulsmith

## Trivia

* His main inspirations are Doc Hudson (as he was his mentor and crew chief), Strip Weathers (as he helped him cross the finish line), Mario Andretti, Dale Earnhardt Sr, and Don Chapcar.
* His some of his other best friends include Cal Weathers, Bobby Swift, Brick Yardley, Reb Meeker, and Cruz Ramirez. He is also good friends with Jack DePost, Rex Revler, and Ponchy Wipeout.
* He visited a total of 14 countries in his lifetime (Japan, Italy, United Kingdom, France, Brazil, Germany, Australia, China, Argentina, Spain, India, Russia, Egypt and the Netherlands).
* He visited Haul Inngas' mother Maria Inngas when he went to the Netherlands in 2016.
* Most of the countries he visited because he raced there
* In rare high school photos Lightning used to be a 1992 Crown Celesta.
* Lightning McQueen is a 2000 Handmade Kind Stock Car which is also nicknamed the EA Prototype.
* He never raced with a grill because he was not a fan of them and also probably because of Chick Hicks and also because of his aerodynamic car design.