Original artwork, not a still
Speed. I am speed. One winner, 42 losers. I eat losers for breakfast.
— Cars · 2006
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
It is a pep talk that plays as a character sketch: Lightning is brash, certain and completely alone. The counting joke, 42 losers, shows how little he thinks of every other car on the track, and the whole film is about him unlearning it. Fans shout the line before a big game or a bad parking job, and the wobble over breakfast is half the charm.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for CarsShow the scene
The opening scene of Cars (2006). Before the Dinoco 400, the final race of the Piston Cup season, rookie Lightning McQueen is alone, psyching himself up with a mantra: focus, speed, "One winner, 42 losers." He doubts himself for a moment, wondering about breakfast, then pulls himself back to the chant until someone pounds on the door and asks if he is ready. He rolls out to the track and the roar of the crowd. Owen Wilson voices Lightning, and the mantra is the first quote on his Pixar Wiki page.
Sources (2)
- Cars (2006) script, springfieldspringfieldOpening scene before the Dinoco 400Reference checked
- Lightning McQueen, Pixar WikiInfobox and Cars sectionReference checked
Context reviewed
