Jackson Storm had now redeemed himself to Lightning McQueen and Cruz Ramirez and now was a nicer car to everyone. He was now also good friends with Daniel Swervez, Chase Racelott, Bubba Wheelhouse, and Ryan Laney. There were a few, however, that he just couldn't stand such as Richie Gunzit, Herb Curbler, and Aaron Clocker.

Richie was a Grade-A jacka** who cared only about winning and the fame that came with it.

Herb was a cocky, self-centered jerk who usually picked on racers he finished ahead of.

Aaron was the worst of the trio. He would be physical with other racers on the track and would laugh at any wreck he doesn't get involved in.

All three hated Jackson for winning in the top two and rarely in the top three, but their hatred only grew after he reformed. To top it all off because of his kind behavior, Cruz Ramirez had a not-so-secret crush on him and would constantly flirt with the sleek black racer.

Herb hated this because he had a crush on Cruz but would always drop lewd comments when he was flirting with her.

One day after the second-to-last race of the season at the Dinoco 400, Jackson was talking with Lightning McQueen and Cruz Ramirez.

"Congrats on the win, Cruz," Jackson said in his typical smooth, deep voice.

Cruz's fenders went as red as Lightning's paint. "Uh, thanks, Jackson," she said trying hard not too look too deep into his eyes. If she did, she'd get lost in those gray-blue irises.

"Looks like someone's got a little crush," Lightning teased.

"Aw c'mon, give her a break, champ," said Jackson.

"Well look who it is," came a voice Jackson knew all too well.

Herb, Richie, and Aaron were headed Jackson's way and Jackson immediately glared at the three bully cars.

"What do you want, Herb?" Jackson snarled.

"We were just going to say that that was some pretty darn nice racing out there… BY US!" Herb laughed. "Seriously, though the piston cup it's ours, dude. It's ours."

"In your dreams, rainbow squad," Jackson smirked.

"Why are you calling us the rainbow squad?" sneered Richie.

"Well you know, because rainbows always come after The Storm," Jackson said before Lightning and Cruz broke out laughing.

The angry racers glared at Jackson before rolling to their trailers in the parking lot.

Before they departed, they wanted to think of a plan to pay Jackson back for his little insult.

"I say we should put nails on his trailer floor. That ought to teach him a lesson about what happens when he messes with us," growled Herb.

"We need to do something bigger," suggested Richie. "Let's steal his hood pins and loosen his lug nuts. He'll have no chance to win the cup if we did that."

"I suggest we just send off the track entirely," sneered Aaron.

"We're listening," Herb said.

"On the next race, I'll sneak up on his left rear corner and barely tap it. It'll send him flying onto the pavement and maybe knock some sense into that hood of his. So the next time he thinks of messing with us, He'll always remember what we did to him in the final race of the 2019 Piston Cup," Aaron explained.

"That's a great plan, Aaron," Herb said.

"Yeah, that ought to show him," Richie added.

The three racers bid each other fare well before backing into their trailers, all with big, devious grins.