Dinoco 400

The Dinoco 400 is a Piston Cup Racing Series race and a Piston Cup event. In Cars, it is the last race of the 2006 season, and it is held at the Motor Speedway of the South. Prior to the race, Strip Weathers, Chick Hicks, and Lightning McQueen are tied in season points that determine the Piston Cup champion. However, due to a tire malfunction from McQueen, the race's results in the first three-way tie in the league's history. A three-way tie-breaker race is then set to take place one week later at the Los Angeles International Speedway.

The last leg of the race begins.

The Race

Weathers, Hicks, and McQueen lead the pack.

Early on, Weathers, Hicks, and McQueen work their way to their usual positions at the front of the pack. Hicks and McQueen fight to pass one another, and their quarrel ends with Hicks performs a PIT maneuver on McQueen, causing him to spin out towards the infield. McQueen recovers quickly, and Hicks notices. He intentionally bumps Winford Bradford Rutherford, who collides with Floyd Mulvihill and Murray Clutchburn, and soon everyone behind Weathers and Hicks are involved in a chaotic wreckage involving race cars, otherwise known as the infamous "Dinoco's All Mine" incident. However, McQueen carefully weaves through the wreckage, much to the awe of the audience.

While every other racer drives into the pit lanes, McQueen opts to reject his team's tire changes and only slurp gas, in favor of getting back out quickly and maintaining a great lead. Going into the final leg of the race, McQueen has significantly farther ahead than the others.

The three-way tie.

When the final lap arrives, McQueen is leading by an entire lap. Right as announcers Darrell Cartrip and Bob Cutlass prepare to crown the champion, McQueen's left-rear tire blows out as he rounds the very last corner. McQueen tries his best to maintain as much speed as possible, but he has slowed down immensely, which only worsens when his right rear tire explodes. Weathers and Hicks round the final corner during the race, and prepare to pass McQueen, who is desperately jumping towards the finish line. McQueen, Hicks, and Weathers all pass the finish line at the exact same time—causing the fans and announcers alike to excitedly speculate.

Officials take time to study footage and determine a winner while the competitors take interviews and make sponsor appearances. The officials announce that the race has been called a three-way draw, and the three first-place finishers will compete in a tie-breaker race at the Los Angeles International Speedway one week later.

Finishing Positions

!Position !Number !Sponsor !Name |- |1st |95 |Rust-eze |Lightning McQueen |- |1st |43 |Dinoco |Strip Weathers |- |1st |86 |htB |Chick Hicks |- |4th |121 |Clutch Aid |Kevin Shiftright |- |5th |28 |Nitroade |Aiken Axler |- |6th |70 |Gasprin |Floyd Mulvihill |- |7th |92 |Sputter Stop |Murray Clutchburn |- |8th | 76 |Vinyl Toupee |Crusty Rotor |- |9th |54 |Faux Wheel Drive |Johnny Blamer |- |10th |8 |Dale Earnhardt, Inc. |Dale Earnhardt, Jr. |- |11th | 117 |Lil' Torquey Pistons |Ralph Carlow |- |12th |58 |Octane Gain |Billy Oilchanger |- |13th |123 |No Stall |Todd Marcus |- |14th |39 |View Zeen |Ryan Shields |- |15th |84 |Apple |Mac iCar |- |16th | 34 |Trunk Fresh |Dirkson D'Agostino |- |17th |84 |Re-Volting |Davey Apex |- |18th |90 |Bumper Save |Ponchy Wipeout |- |19th |80 |Gask-its |Sage VanDerSpin |- |20th |4 |Tow Cap |Rusty Cornfuel |- |21st | 56 |Fiber Fuel |Brush Curber |- |22nd |35 |Shifty Drug |Kevin Racingtire |- |23rd |74 |Sidewall Shine |Slider Petrolski |- |DNF |36 |Tank Coat |Eugene Carbureski |- |DNF |61 |Vitoline |James Cleanair |- |DNF | 93 |Spare Mint |Ernie Gearson |- |DNF |52 |Leak Less |Claude Scruggs |- |DNF |64 |RPM |Winford Bradford Rutherford |- |DNF |101 |Tach-O-Mint |Greg Candyman |- |DNF |73 |Rev-N-Go |Misti Motorkrass |- |DNF |68 |N2O Cola |Manny Flywheel |- |DNF | 82 |Shiny Wax |Darren Leadfoot |- |DNF |79 |Retread |Haul Inngas |- |DNF |51 |Easy Idle |Ruby "Easy" Oaks |- |DNF |63 |Transberry Juice |Lee Revkins |- |DNF |33 |Mood Springs |Chuck Armstrong |}

Gallery

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  Lightning McQueen overtaking Sage VanDerSpin.

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  Chick Hicks about to overtake Greg Candyman.

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  Billy Oilchanger, Johnny Blamer and Strip Weathers exiting the pits.

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  Strip Weathers about to lap Johnny Blamer.

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  Lee Revkins and Chick Hicks battling for the 1st position.

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  Claude Scruggs on top of Todd Marcus.

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  Rusty Cornfuel overtaking Todd Marcus and Claude Scruggs.

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  James Cleanair unconscious.

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  Brush Curber, Kevin Racingtire and Davey Apex spinning out of control.

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  Chick Hicks speeding up.

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  Strip Weathers blocking Chick's path.

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  Crusty Rotor about to hit Ryan Shields.

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  Lightning McQueen overtaking Chuck Armstrong.

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  Aiken Axler changing his tires.

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  Kevin Shiftright stuck near the wall.

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  Chick Hicks about to hit Winford Bradford Rutherford.

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  Winford Bradford Rutherford drinking a can of Nitroade.

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  Chick Hicks near the end of the pack.

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  Strip Weathers, Chick Hicks and Lightning McQueen with 5013 points each.

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  Chick Hicks about to overtake Ponchy Wipeout.

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  Manny Flywheel driving backwards.

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  Slider Petrolski about to hit Floyd Mulvihill.

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  Lightning McQueen driving in two wheels in order to overtake Floyd Mulvihill and Rusty Cornfuel.

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  Chuck Armstrong flying through the speedway.

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  Chuck Armstrong being towed out of the race.

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  Slider Petrolski's camera.

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  Chick Hicks pitting.

Trivia

• As of Cars 3, the Dinoco 400 is no longer the final race of the Piston Cup season. At least in that year, as the last race is the Los Angeles 500.
• Ernie Gearson, Winford Bradford Rutherford, Greg Candyman, James Cleanair, Eugene Carbureski, Misti Motorkrass, Manny Flywheel, Darren Leadfoot, Haul Inngas, Ruby "Easy" Oaks, Claude Scruggs, Lee Revkins and Chuck Armstrong all did not finish the race probably because of having been badly damaged in the crash caused by Chick Hicks.