Florida 500

The Florida International Super Speedway, where the Florida 500 is held.

The Florida 500 is a Piston Cup event in Cars 3. With the goal of defeating Jackson Storm and other rookies in the race, Lightning McQueen receives assistance from racing instructor Cruz Ramirez during his training for the event. Cruz will take Lightning's place half through the race, because Lightning decided he could not win this alone.

Jackson takes the lead for most of the race, while Lightning steadily passes other cars. When he overhears Sterling tell Cruz to leave, that makes Lightning have an idea. Lightning knew he could not win alone, so after a wreck on the track caused by Cam Spinner, he had Ramone paint the Rust-eze and number 95 on Cruz to follow race regulations.

Cruz as a Rust-eze racer.

Storm initially takes Cruz as a joke and therefore pays no attention to her. When the green flag drops, Cruz initially struggles, but eventually starts making up ground. As the race progresses, Cruz starts outperforming the other cars. When there is just 10 laps left, Cruz moves into the top 10. Jackson's crew chief warns him about this, but he does not care. When Cruz moves into fourth position, Storm starts to take notice of her. When she moves into third position, Storm starts becoming scared of her, so he purposely slows down to catch up to Cruz, allowing Daniel Swervez to take the lead. Storm tells her that she can play dress up all she wants, but that she will never be a racer before retaking the lead. While in shock, Cruz moves back to fifth position after Flip Dover and Chase Racelott pass her. Cruz tells McQueen that Storm is in her head, but McQueen tells her that she got in Storm's head because he would not have done that if she did not scare him, and that she really was a racer. During the final lap of the race Ramirez is right in Storm's tail and Storm tries to prevent her from passing by pushing her up against the wall. Unfortunately for Storm, Cruz does a flip over him and crosses the finish line in first place. After winning, Cruz is congratulated by Daniel Swervez, Chase Racelott, Ryan Laney, and Bubba Wheelhouse, Jr..

Cruz and McQueen on the winners table.

Starting Positions

1. 2.0: Jackson Storm
2. 19: Daniel Swervez
3. 68: H.J. Hollis
4. 48: Aaron Clocker
5. 54: Herb Curbler
6. 93: Next-Generation Spare Mint Racer
7. 00: Flip Dover
8. 4: J.D. McPillar
9. 90: Paul Conrev
10. 24: Chase Racelott
11. 39: Michael Rotor
12. 64: Barry DePedal
13. 52: Next-Generation Leak Less Racer
14. 82: Conrad Camber
15. 80: Dan Carcia
16. 117: Eric Braker
17. 67: Next-Generation Carbon Cyber Racer
18. 70: Richie Gunzit
19. 33: Ed Truncan
20. 6: Bubba Wheelhouse, Jr.
21. 11: Chris Roamin'
22. 5: Spikey Fillups
23. 31: Cam Spinner
24. 121: Next-Generation Clutch Aid Racer
25. 15: Harvey Rodcap
26. 92: Sheldon Shifter
27. 21: Ryan Laney
28. 34: Steve LaPage
29. 84: J.P. Drive
30. 28: Tim Treadless
31. 36: Rich Mixon
32. 123: Jonas Carvers
33. 73: Next-Generation Rev-N-Go Racer
34. 76: Next-Generation Vinyl Toupee Racer
35. 95: Lightning McQueen

Restart Positions

1. 2.0: Jackson Storm
2. 19: Daniel Swervez
3. 00: Flip Dover
4. 24: Chase Racelott
5. 93: Next-Generation Spare Mint Racer
6. 54: Herb Curbler
7. 4: J.D. McPillar
8. 68: H.J. Hollis
9. 48: Aaron Clocker
10. 90: Paul Conrev
11. 39: Michael Rotor
12. 64: Barry DePedal
13. 82: Conrad Camber
14. 117: Eric Braker
15. 80: Dan Carcia
16. 70: Richie Gunzit
17. 21: Ryan Laney
18. 67: Next-Generation Carbon Cyber Racer
19. 6: Bubba Wheelhouse, Jr.
20. 33: Ed Truncan
21. 5: Spikey Fillups
22. 11: Chris Roamin'
23. 121: Next-Generation Clutch Aid Racer
24. 95: Cruz Ramirez
25. 15: Harvey Rodcap
26. 36: Rich Mixon
27. 92: Sheldon Shifter
28. 73: Next-Generation Rev-N-Go Racer
29. 76: Next-Generation Vinyl Toupee Racer
30. 123: Jonas Carvers

(Note: The six racers listed after Cruz Ramirez did continue the race after the restart, but disappeared as the restart happened and re-appeared a short while later.)

Finishing Positions

1. 95: Cruz Ramirez, Lightning McQueen
2. 2.0: Jackson Storm
3. 19: Daniel Swervez
4. 68: H.J. Hollis
5. 48: Aaron Clocker
6. 93: Next-Generation Spare Mint Racer
7. 54: Herb Curbler
8. 4: J.D. McPillar
9. 00: Flip Dover
10. 24: Chase Racelott
11. 90: Paul Conrev
12. 39: Michael Rotor
13. 64: Barry DePedal
14. 82: Conrad Camber
15. 117: Eric Braker
16. 80: Dan Carcia
17. 70: Richie Gunzit
18. 21: Ryan Laney
19. 67: Next-Generation Carbon Cyber Racer
20. 6: Bubba Wheelhouse, Jr.
21. 33: Ed Truncan
22. 5: Spikey Fillups
23. 11: Chris Roamin'
24. 121: Next-Generation Clutch Aid Racer
25. 15: Harvey Rodcap
26. 36: Rich Mixon
27. 92: Sheldon Shifter
28. 73: Next-Generation Rev-N-Go Racer
29. 76: Next-Generation Vinyl Toupee Racer
30. 123: Jonas Carvers

Trivia

• Though Darrell Cartrip says that forty-three cars are competing, there are only thirty-four Next-Generation racers and one veteran racer (Lightning McQueen) for a total of thirty-five cars.
• Rich Mixon, Michael Rotor, Conrad Camber, Paul Conrev, Sheldon Shifter, Eric Braker, and the Next-Generation Leak Less, Rev-N-Go, Vinyl Toupee and Clutch Aid racers made their debut in this race/season.
• Tim Treadless, Cam Spinner, Steve LaPage, J.P. Drive, and the Next Generation Leak Less racer did not finish the race due to having been badly damaged in the crash. 
• After the crash, Ryan Laney is seen okay, entering his pit, but then disappears for the rest of the race, and finally reappears to congratulate Cruz.
• Ryan Laney's color reverses during the crash.