Lightning McQueen

*Kachow! -* His catchphrase

***Lightning" McQueen*** is the main character of the *Cars* series. He appears in almost every main installment of the *Cars* series, with the only exceptions being media based on Planes 1 and the rest of the *Planes* series besides Planes: Fire and Rescue where he appeared on a newspaper. He is a Piston Cup race car that has won 8 Piston Cups since his debut in 2005. Lightning resides in the small town of Radiator Springs in Carburetor County, where he has a racing headquarters, as well as a stadium. He has an Australian brother called Joel McQueen.

Lightning was born on April 4th, 1977 in Los Angeles. he went to high school in LA and also was described as someone who preferred to be by himself which is why he didn't have many friends he did have a few though. His favorite colors are red, blue, and silver.

He is one of fourteen racers to have been giving a farewell lap.

He had 90 career wins, 7 Piston Cup wins.

His main inspirations are Doc Hudson (As he was his mentor and crew chief), The King (As he helped him cross the finish line), Mario Andretti, Dale Earnhardt Sr, and Don Chapcar.

Another competition in which Lightning ran was the World Grand Prix. He raced there between 2011 and 2016 and raced in the Piston Cup throughout those years as well.

## Biography

He debuted in 2005 as a rookie. But he was kinda mean and fired 3 crew chiefs. The 1st one after the 2005 Rev-N-Go 350 due to Lightning crashing, the second one in the 2005 Cartinsville 400 after a long pitstop caused him to lose the race and the third in the 2005 Richmond 400 after a punctured tire causes him to DNF.

He won the 2006 Piston Cup as well as his first Nightdona 500 that year. He did very well in 2007 too, winning his 2nd Piston Cup. The old generation of racers were retiring and new ones were arriving. This is Lightning's chance to make new friends. He made friends with Ponchy Wipeout, Cal Weathers and Brick Yardley.

In the 2008 Piston Cup Season Lightning faced tough competition from Cal Weathers and ended up losing to Cal who won the 2008 Piston Cup. He also got married that year and he also won his first Calladega 500 that year too.

Lightning won his 3rd Piston Cup in 2009 and had a great victory in the Nightdona 500 that year. Sadly, his mentor, the Hudson Hornet, died in December 2009 and Lightning needed a new crew chief and picked Mater.

In 2010, Lightning had a great start winning the first 4 races including the Florida 500. he then took his first win at Indy to get one step closer to his triple crown and then took the Calladega 500 to earn the Triple Crown. The 2010 season would be Lightning's best year of his career winning 20 races, the Triple Crown, as well as being ahead of Cal Weathers by more than 200 points. Reb Meeker became friends with Lightning in 2010 as well. it was slightly marred by the DrugGate scandal when a hater called Jay Crankspin accuses Lightning of having drugs, Lightning did have drugs but he's not an addict and is merely using them to control anger, but later on he stopped using them and started getting lessons to stay calm, Jay Crankspin got blocked on Blinkr and possibly ran away to another country after that.

2011 would start ok. Not great but Lightning won a few races. Again Cal Weathers would be tough competition. That all would change at Darlington in the No Stall 350 where Lightning would have his worst crash yet. Lightning made contact with Rex Revler. Rex hit the wall but Lightning would start flipping 12 times and was badly damaged. He missed two races before returning to racing in the Blinkr 350 where he would win. He then crashed in a practice session for the Dinoco Light 350 causing him to miss the race due to old injuries of the Darlington crash returning. It was Lightning's worst year by far.

Lightning then won the Piston Cups in 2012 and 2013 doing great in those years. In 2013, however, T.G Castlenut did very well and was a competition to Lightning McQueen. T.G even nearly won but two DNF in the last two races of the season cost T.G the championship

Lightning started slowing down in 2014 where he was not as good as his earlier years. Even though he won the Piston Cup he did have a crash in the 2014 Nitroade 400 which caused him to miss races but he still did it. 2015 was not great for him either as Brick Yardley performed better then him and won the Piston Cup.

In 2016 he was about to win the Piston Cup until Jackson Storm and the other (even though most of them are far kinder than Jackson) next-gens started to dominate and the older cars quit or got fired. He crashed in the final race.

In 2017 he raced in the first half of Florida before he decided to let Cruz Ramirez race

He apologized in 2021 to Rev-N-Go Racer privately after he crashed into him and taking him out in the 2013 Tank Coat 400 though its unknown if he will accept it. He did and the Rev-N-Go Racer accepted it.

## Quotes

* *Ka-chow!*" - Catchphrase
* "*I'm faster than fast. Quicker than quick. I am lightning!*" - *Cars*
* "*Oh, Kori. There's a lot more to racing than just winning. I mean, taking the race by a full lap... Where's the entertainment in that?*" - *Cars*
* "*No, no. I wanted to give the folks a little sizzle.*" - *Cars*
* "*And am I sorry I don't have a crew chief? No, I'm not. 'Cause I'm a one-man show.*" - *Cars*
* "*Yo, Chuck. Chuck, what are you doing? You're blockin' the camera! Everyone wants to see the bolt.*" - *Cars*
* "*Now, back away.*" - *Cars*
* "*Ow! Whoa, team! Where are you going?*" - *Cars*
* "*Oh, OK, leave. Fine. How will I ever find anyone else who knows how to fill me up with gas? Adios, Chuck!*" - *Cars*
* "*Oh, whatever.*" - *Cars*
* "*I love being me.*" - *Cars*
* "*Yes, yes, yes! Lightning McQueen here, and I use Rust-eze Medicated Bumper Ointment, new rear end formula. Nothing soothes a rusty bumper like Rust-eze. Wow! look at that shine! Use Rust-eze, and you too, so that you can look like me! Ka-chow!*" - *Cars*
* "*Mater?*" - *Cars*
* "*Holy Porsche! She's gotta be from my attorney's office.*" - *Cars*
* "*I'm a precision instrument of speed and aerodynamics!*" - *Cars*
* "*Pch. Crazy grandpa car, what an idiot.*" - *Cars*
* "*No Mater, I gotta finish this road, and I have to get out of here.*" - *Cars*
* "*Whoa, whoa, easy now, Mater. Do you know who you're talking to? This is Lightning McQueen. I can handle anything.*" - *Cars*
* "*It's good to be home, everybody.*" - *Cars 2*
* "*I know Doc said these things were just old cups... but to have someone else win it just didn't feel right, you know?*" - *Cars 2*
* "*Thank you so much for having us, Sir Axlerod. I really look forward to racing. This is a great opportunity.*" - *Cars 2*
* "*I'm coming for you, Storm.*" - *Cars 3*
* "*I decide when I'm done.*" - *Cars 3*
* "*This is my last chance, Cruz. Last! Final! Finito! If I lose, I'd never get to do this again!*" - *Cars 3*
* *"If you were a racer, you'd know what I'm talking about, but you're not! So you DON'T!!" - Cars 3*
* "*No, but I can't go out on the track and do the same old thing. It won't work.*" - *Cars 3*
* "*I'm gonna keep racing. But before that, I got something I want to do.*" - *Cars 3*
* "*Mater was telling the truth!*" - Cars 2 Lights & Sounds Lightning McQueen, unused. He did say it in the actual universe sometimes.

## Gallery

Talking to Mater in LondonAbout to be passed by Chase RacelottRacing with Cruz as Fabulous Lightning McQueenBeing passed by Jackson StormRacing with CruzEarly Racing LookA diecast of himHis Cars 3 lookTech suitHis crash
## Wins:

1. 2005 Las Vegas 400
2. 2005 New York 400
3. 2005 Gasprin 400
4. 2005 Mario Andretti 400
5. 2005 Dinoco 400
6. 2006 Nightdona 500
7. 2006 Michigan 400
8. 2006 Mario Andretti 400
9. 2006 Boston 350
10. 2006 Richmond 400
11. 2006 Dinoco 400
12. 2007 Las Vegas 400
13. 2007 Texas 350
14. 2007 BnL 500
15. 2007 N20 Cola 400
16. 2007 Mario Andretti 400
17. 2007 Cartinsville 400
18. 2007 Pinkie and Spike 400
19. 2007 Dinoco Light 350
20. 2008 Las Vegas 400
21. 2008 Texas 350
22. 2008 Olympus 500
23. 2008 N20 Cola 400 at Calladega
24. 2008 Los Angeles 500
25. 2008 Calladega 500
26. 2009 Nightdona 500
27. 2009 Olympus 500
28. 2009 New York 400
29. 2009 Nitroade 400
30. 2009 Los Angeles 500
31. 2009 Boston 350
32. 2009 Leak Less 400
33. 2009 Dinoco Light 350
34. 2010 Florida 500
35. 2010 Texas 350
36. 2010 Olympus 500
37. 2010 Revolting 400
38. 2010 BnL 500
39. 2010 Vitoline 350
40. 2010 Homestead 350
41. 2010 Octane Gain 400
42. 2010 Nitroade 400
43. 2010 Brickyard 400
44. 2010 Calladega 500
45. 2010 Gasprin 400
46. 2010 Boston 350
47. 2010 Leak Less 400
48. 2010 Spare Mint 400
49. 2010 Blinkr 350
50. 2010 Intersection 350
51. 2010 Bumper Save: Gears And Glory 450
52. 2010 Richmond 400
53. 2010 Los Angeles 500
54. 2011 BnL 500
55. 2011 Vitoline 350
56. 2011 RPM 400
57. 2011 Blinkr 350
58. 2012 Mood Springs 400
59. 2012 BnL 500
60. 2012 Vitoline 350
61. 2012 N20 Cola 400
62. 2012 Fei 400
63. 2012 Brickyard 400
64. 2012 Calladega 500
65. 2012 Copper Canyon 400
66. 2012 Boston 350
67. 2012 Virginia 400
68. 2012 Los Angeles 500
69. 2013 Nitroade 400
70. 2013 Rev N Go 350
71. 2013 Mario Andretti 400
72. 2013 Brickyard 400
73. 2013 Mario Andretti 400
74. 2013 Copper Canyon 400
75. 2013 Richmond 400
76. 2013 Los Angeles 500
77. 2014 Florida 500
78. 2014 Texas 350
79. 2014 Leak Less 400
80. 2014 Sputter Stop 400
81. 2014 Pinkie and Spike 400
82. 2014 Los Angeles 500
83. 2015 Iowa 400
84. 2015 N20 Cola 400
85. 2015 Pinkie and Spike 400
86. 2016 Las Vegas 400
87. 2016 Brickyard 400
88. 2016 Lightning McQueen 400
89. 2016 Tow Cap 500
90. 2016 Blinkr 350

## Trivia

* His racing number, "95" is a reference to the year 1995, when Pixar's first feature-length film, *Toy Story* was released. Originally, his number was going to be 57, which is the year John Lasseter was born, 1957.
* Lightning's last name "McQueen" is a reference to Glenn McQueen, a supervising animator at Pixar who passed away in 2002.
* Early concept arts suggest that he was originally blue, not red.
* His best friends are 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 is enemies with Henson Driver
* Lightning performs best on important tracks like Nightdona/Florida, Calladega, Los Angeles, and Indy but also in Kansas, Michigan, and some others.
* Lightning's worst tracks were he badly performs are Darlington and Dover. In Darlington, he never came close to win and crashed there badly once in 2011 and suffered terribly there due to Jackson Storm debuting in 2016. In Dover, he doesn't suck like in Darlington but he somehow won there in 2014.
* He visited a total of 13 countries in his lifetime (Japan, Italy, England, France, Brazil, Germany, Australia, China, Argentina, Spain, India, Russia and 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
* A lot of ladies have kissed Lightning (Sally, Cruz Ramirez, Lynda Weathers
* His model is a heavily modified one of a kind 2000 stock car. In super rare high school photos you could see he used to be a Crown Celesta that resembles Manny Flywheel before he becomes a modified car.
* He set the fastest lap in the 2005 Dinoco 400 but this information is not revealed in the movie
* Lightning McQueen is a 2005 Handmade Stock Car and the only 2 who ever applied for that surgery, the other is a guy called Richie Racington who got surgery to race in CARCA but his hauler died in a car crash so he failed to join, nowadays Racington still talks about having the same model as Lightning McQueen.