Radiator Springs Reunion: 'Cars: Lightning Racers' Brings Back the Original Voice Cast as the Franchise Turns 20

Disney Jr.'s upcoming series Cars: Lightning Racers is reuniting the original Radiator Springs voice cast, with Bonnie Hunt, Jenifer Lewis, and Paul Dooley returning alongside Owen Wilson's Lightning McQueen and Larry the Cable Guy's Mater. New additions Leah Lewis, Yuri Lowenthal, and Sheryl Lee Ralph round out the grid as the Cars franchise marks its 20th anniversary, racing to Disney Jr. and Disney+ in 2027.

Twenty years after Lightning McQueen first peeled out of Radiator Springs, the whole gang is gearing back up. Cars: Lightning Racers — the new Disney Jr. series set in the world of Disney and Pixar's beloved franchise — is reuniting its original voice cast and adding a few fresh faces to the grid when it speeds onto screens in 2027.

The Original Radiator Springs Crew Returns

"A-Ten-Hut!" The townsfolk of Radiator Springs are back on duty. Paul Dooley returns as the gruff, Army-surplus jeep Sarge, leading a roster of beloved characters reprising their roles for the new series. Bonnie Hunt is back as the sleek Porsche Sally, Jenifer Lewis reprises the warm-hearted Flo, Guido Quaroni returns as the speedy forklift Guido, Lloyd Sherr voices the laid-back VW van Fillmore, and Michael Wallis rolls back in as Sheriff. For longtime fans, hearing those familiar voices again is the heart of the appeal — these are the same performers who gave Radiator Springs its small-town charm in the first place.

Owen Wilson and Larry the Cable Guy Lead the Pack

As previously announced, Owen Wilson and Larry the Cable Guy are back behind the wheel as Lightning McQueen and his lovable tow-truck best friend Mater — the duo who have anchored every chapter of the franchise. They're joined by a deep bench of returning talent: Tony Shalhoub as the Fiat tire-shop owner Luigi, Cheech Marin as the lowrider Ramone, Bob Peterson as racing rival Chick Hicks, and John Ratzenberger as the big rig Mack. Ratzenberger's presence is its own Pixar tradition — the actor has voiced a character in every Pixar feature since the studio's debut.

New Faces Join the Grid

The series isn't just a reunion — it's adding new racers to Radiator Springs. Leah Lewis, who voiced Ember in Pixar's Elemental, joins as Pipes, a thrill-seeking drag car. Yuri Lowenthal, familiar to gamers as a voice in Marvel Rivals, plays Miles, a mud-loving monster truck. And Sheryl Lee Ralph of Abbott Elementary voices an all-new character, Ms. Blinker. The fresh additions hint at the kind of high-energy, kid-friendly adventures Disney Jr. is aiming for.

"'Cars: Lightning Racers' follows Lightning McQueen as he gears up for all-new adventures in Radiator Springs alongside his hilarious best friend Mater and new friends thrill-seeking drag car Pipes and mud-loving monster truck Miles." — Official series synopsis

Who's Building the Show

The series is produced by Disney Television Animation in association with Pixar, keeping the creative DNA close to the films. Travis Braun and Frank Montagna serve as executive producers, with Dana Starfield as story editor and Nathan Chew as supervising director. The project has already earned industry attention beyond Disney: it was selected for a Work in Progress panel at this year's Annecy International Animation Film Festival, the world's premier showcase for animated work. Cars: Lightning Racers is set to debut in 2027 on Disney Jr. before also streaming on Disney+.

20 Years of Cars

June 2026 marks the 20th anniversary of the franchise that started it all. Cars first raced into theaters in 2006, introducing audiences to Lightning McQueen and the dusty Route 66 town of Radiator Springs. It grew into one of Pixar's most merchandise-friendly properties, spawning Cars 2 (2011), Cars 3 (2017), the Planes spinoffs, and the Disney+ road-trip series Cars on the Road. The world even drove off the screen and into the parks at Cars Land in Disney California Adventure, home to the popular Radiator Springs Racers attraction. A new preschool-targeted series is a natural next lap, introducing McQueen and Mater to the youngest generation of fans.

Why Fans Are Buzzing

For a franchise built on nostalgia and familiar faces, the headline here is continuity: the original voice cast isn't being recast, it's coming home. Pairing returning favorites like Sally, Flo, and Sarge with new characters built for a younger Disney Jr. audience gives the series a foot in both worlds — comforting for parents who grew up with the films, and fresh for the kids discovering Radiator Springs for the first time. With a 2027 premiere and a high-profile Annecy showcase already on the calendar, expect the buzz around Cars: Lightning Racers to keep building as the franchise's 20th-anniversary year rolls on.