In every scene there's a sign, a trophy, a tip of the hat, a name, a billboard that tributes racing, the cars and the racers. They’re all based off the real signs you would find covering a garage wall like wallpaper. There's a depth to the movies not found in “Days of Thunder,” the "Fast and Furious" series, or even the excellent “Rush” directed by Ron Howard.
While these are animated movies aimed at kids, there's seriousness in this attention to detail that respects a part of our culture not often in the spotlight—another example of Pixar having its finger on the pulse of the hearts of kids and grownups, especially the kids inside those grownups.
Pixar doesn’t have to go through the trouble of having Richard Petty, who retired in 1992, play a major role, or his son Kyle. It doesn’t have to cast Formula One drivers Michael Schumacher or Lewis Hamilton who are usually racing the world over and far from any Disney studio. It would be easier to pull a random actor off a set then to bring in the actual Junior Johnson.
Racing is like war, flying and many other heart pumping, real-life experiences that can’t actually be captured on the precise medium of film. It is something that lives in the moment, whereas film has to live forever, and so inherently lacks the same feeling that anything could happen. Movies can provide us endless cool car chases, race scenes, or shots of Tom Cruise doing barrel rolls or burnouts, but, ultimately, what happens on a race track can be remade as a highly visceral experience, but it still isn’t the actual experience.
The authenticity then rests on the creators and their attention to detail to make it as believable and informed as possible. By the measurement, the “Cars” series finishes the race with the rest of Pixar’s impeccable canon, and far ahead of other racing films before it.
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