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Animator Ariya Alexander Berenji, who posts as R-ya Productions, is making an unofficial Cars fan film about a younger Strip Weathers and his rise toward becoming The King. The project’s character designs draw on NASCAR figures and liveries, including Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and Bill Elliott. Its release date, final scope and relationship to Pixar are not confirmed in the source report.
Animator Ariya Alexander Berenji, who publishes work as R-ya Productions, is making an unofficial Cars fan film about a younger Strip Weathers and the story behind his eventual status as The King. The project uses 3D character designs and settings drawing on NASCAR history, extending the racing references in Pixar’s 2006 film into a prequel concept.
The fan film centers on Strip Weathers before he became the established champion voiced by NASCAR driver Richard Petty in the original Cars. The younger Weathers has a blue-and-orange livery inspired by Petty’s later-career colors. The original film used a solid-blue design associated with Petty’s earlier cars for the already-famous King, while the prequel’s proposed colors distinguish the younger version.
The character designs also reference other racing names. A car based on Dale Earnhardt wears the familiar number three and black styling, with the fictional sponsor “Sidewall Shine” in place of Goodwrench. A younger Chick Hicks, the antagonist from Cars, has a red-and-gold look inspired by Bill Elliott’s No. 9 Ford Thunderbird, rather than the green design he has in the Pixar film.
Berenji’s project introduces Toni Jo Torque, described in the report as a five-time champion and mentor to Weathers and Hicks. Her design combines stock-car elements with the Porsche 935 and takes visual cues from racers Shawna Robinson, Danica Patrick and Toni Briedinger. Planned settings include Copper Canyon Speedway, which appeared in Cars 3, as well as a bowling alley and an ice cream parlor serving “frozen coolant.”
NASCAR History Shapes the Fan Film
The project makes the racing references in Cars its central subject rather than treating them as background details. Its designs connect fictional characters to recognizable NASCAR drivers, numbers and paint schemes, while the imagined mentor character brings several women racers into the story’s visual influences. For viewers familiar with the sport, those choices provide a way to recognize real-world inspirations in a fan-made extension of Pixar’s fictional racing world.
It also shows how an independent animator can develop a detailed fan-film concept using established characters and settings. That does not make the project an official continuation: the material described in the report is a fan film under development, not a Pixar announcement. The distinction matters for readers looking for new Cars releases or studio-confirmed story details.
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From Pixar’s King to a Younger Racer
Pixar released Cars in 2006, with Petty voicing The King, a champion character modeled on Petty and his association with a blue Plymouth Superbird. The film mixes fictional racing stories with references to motorsport personalities. Chick Hicks, voiced by Michael Keaton, is among its central characters; he returns in altered form in Berenji’s proposed earlier-set story.
The fan film is described as taking place in the 1980s, with a deliberately retro look. The setting and alternate liveries help establish that the characters are at an earlier point in their careers than they are in the original movie. The Drive’s report points to R-ya Productions’ YouTube channel as the place to follow project updates, but does not provide a production schedule or a completed-film release plan.
“A “self-described aspiring filmmaker” with a YouTube channel called R-ya Productions.”
— The Drive, describing Ariya Alexander Berenji
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Release Plans Remain Unreported
The report does not give a release date, production timeline, runtime or details about how much of the film has been completed. It also does not establish whether the work will be released as a full film or as a series of videos. The character designs and story details are attributed to Berenji’s project, but the article does not include a direct statement from the animator about distribution or production status.
There is no indication in the source that Pixar or Disney has approved, commissioned or endorsed the film. Its status as an unofficial fan project should not be confused with a studio-produced Cars prequel. The report also does not confirm whether every named character or location will appear in a final version.
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Follow R-ya Productions for Updates
The source report directs readers to R-ya Productions on YouTube for further project updates. A trailer, production milestones or a release announcement could clarify how the concept is progressing, but none is specified in the report. Until Berenji provides further details, the film’s schedule, final contents and availability remain open.
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Key Questions
Who is making the Cars prequel fan film?
It is being made by animator Ariya Alexander Berenji, who publishes as R-ya Productions on YouTube.
What is the fan film about?
The proposed story follows a younger Strip Weathers before he becomes The King, the Richard Petty-inspired champion from Pixar’s Cars.
Which NASCAR figures inspired the character designs?
The report identifies design references to Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and Bill Elliott, among others. Toni Jo Torque’s design also draws on racers including Shawna Robinson, Danica Patrick and Toni Briedinger.
Is this an official Pixar Cars movie?
No official Pixar or Disney involvement is reported. The project is described as an unofficial fan film, not a studio-announced prequel.
When will the film be released?
No release date or schedule is provided in the report. R-ya Productions’ YouTube channel is identified as the place to watch for updates.
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