(Lightning's POV)

I was exhausted. I was finally returning home from, yet, another successful racing season with my 5th Piston Cup. I couldn't wait to get a chance to relax and spend some time with my friends in the small town of Radiator Springs. The soft glow of the neon lights and the smooth pavement beneath my wheels was just enough to relieve all the stress and pressures of my racing career.

I was distracted from my thoughts when my trailer driver, Mack, pulled to a stop in front of Flo's V8 Cafe. I smiled and exited my trailer. The warm feeling of the pavement and the light breeze blowing through the town forced a smile to form across my grille. I drove to a fuel pump and greeted my friends. Fillmore and Sarge were parked across from me bickering, as usual, and Sheriff was napping peacefully in a few pumps down. Lizzie was parked on the porch of her Curios Shop and Red was watering flowers in the nearby corner. Guido and Luigi were fighting in Italian over a new tire display and Sally was slowly driving towards Flo's from the new Wheel Well Motel we had just renovated together.

She smiled as she drove into the pump next to me. "Hey Stickers," she said, greeting me.

I returned the smile. "Hey Sal."

"Oh! Congratulations on winning your 5th Piston Cup!"

"Thanks!"

I then sighed. Sally noticed my sad expression and grew concerned. "What's the matter Stickers?" she asked me, concern evident in her voice.

I looked over at her sadly, "I just wish Doc could have been here."

Just the thought of Doc caused a huge wave of sadness to consume my conscience. Doc had passed several years before due to engine failure, and I think his death hit me the hardest. Sadly, I wasn't even there to say goodbye, due to a race in Atlanta. This made me more guilty than ever, and I regretted my decision of not returning home to be with him. Being able to attend his funeral gave me some closure, but it would have been a lot easier if I had been there at his passing.

Sally must have decided that changing the subject might make me feel better. "So, has anyone seen Mater? He's usually here waiting when Lightning comes home."

This was true. My best friend, Mater, almost always stayed awake until I returned, and I would come home to find him passed out in the middle of the street.

I grew curious and decided to look for him. I drove all around Radiator Springs until I found him at the nearby tractor field. I knew his intentions and was about to quietly drive away, but he spotted me. He smiled his usual buck teeth smile and raced over to me. "Hey buddy!" he shouted.

I couldn't help but smile. His usual cheerful happiness always made me feel better on the worst of days. "Hey Mater. What're you doing?" I asked.

He smiled and pointed his tire towards the broken fence post. "I went tractor tippin' while yous was gone, and I done broke da fence." Mater explained.

Well, I was glad Mater wasn't planning on doing any tractor tipping. I thought, then, I should leave so he could finish the fence. "Okay, well I'm gonna go Mater. Good luck on the fence."

We waved goodbye to each other and I hurried off to the Cozy Cone. I arrived and drove into the office to find my girlfriend, Sally Carrera, doing paper work at her desk. She looked up, startled, when I revved my engine to get her attention. "Stickers! You scared me!"

I chuckled and drove behind her desk and softly kissed her on the fender. "Sorry, I thought it would be funny...and it was!" I said laughing again.

She rolled her eyes annoyed. I smiled again. Then I remembered why I came to see her. "Hey, Sal?" I asked nervously.

She looked over at me,"Yea?"

"Would you like to...um...go as my date tonight for the party at Wheel Well?"

"Of course! Who did you think I was gonna go with? My other boyfriend?"

I gave her a mean look and she laughed. I smiled as I drove towards the door. "I'll pick you up around 7. Is that okay?" I asked.

She nodded. "Yep. 7 sounds good."

I smiled my famous half smile and drove out of the Cozy Cone office.