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Animator Ariya Alexander Berenji is developing a Cars prequel fan film about Strip Weathers before he became known as The King. R-ya Productions has shown 3D designs inspired by NASCAR figures and shared details about characters and settings, but the supplied report does not establish a release date or confirm that the film is complete.
Ariya Alexander Berenji, an animator and self-described aspiring filmmaker behind the YouTube channel R-ya Productions, is developing a fan-made prequel to Pixar’s Cars about Strip Weathers before he became the racing legend known as The King. The project brings NASCAR-inspired characters and 3D designs into a story set in the 1980s, though the available report gives no release date or confirmation that the film is finished.
The prequel centers on a younger Strip Weathers, the character voiced in the 2006 film by seven-time NASCAR champion Richard Petty. In Pixar’s original story, Weathers is a racing icon modeled on Petty and his famous blue Plymouth Superbird. Berenji’s project imagines an earlier stage in the character’s career, before he earned the title The King.
Among the designs described by The Drive is a character based on Dale Earnhardt, using the number three and a black livery, with fictional “Sidewall Shine” branding in place of Earnhardt’s Goodwrench sponsorship. The younger Weathers is shown in blue and orange, drawing on Petty-associated colors while distinguishing the prequel-era design from the solid-blue look used for the character in the original film.
The project also features a younger Chick Hicks, the antagonist from Cars, in a red-and-gold design inspired by Bill Elliott’s Coors-sponsored No. 9 Ford Thunderbird. A new character, Toni Jo Torque, is described as a five-time champion called “The Queen” who mentors Weathers and Hicks. Her design combines stock-car styling with elements of the Porsche 935 and draws on liveries associated with Shawna Robinson, Danica Patrick and Toni Breidinger, according to the report.
NASCAR History Recast as Animation
The project builds on a central feature of Cars: its use of fictional talking vehicles to refer to real racing history. A story about Weathers’ early career gives Berenji a way to explore the world behind a character already tied to Richard Petty, while the other designs reference figures and visual styles recognizable to NASCAR fans.
For viewers, the development is also a fan-made extension of a popular film world, not an announced Pixar production. That distinction matters: the project’s creative ideas and designs can draw interest, but they should not be read as official additions to Pixar’s Cars canon. The report establishes that Berenji is making the film and has presented designs; it does not describe a studio partnership or official endorsement.
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From The King to a Younger Weathers
Pixar released Cars in 2006. The film features Richard Petty as the voice of Strip Weathers, whose racing identity and blue-car design pay tribute to Petty’s career. Petty’s character is known as The King, and the original film places him among the established figures of its fictional racing world.
Berenji’s fan film shifts the focus to an earlier period. The report describes the story as set in the 1980s, with a deliberately retro visual style, and notes that it draws on NASCAR history through its character designs. Planned locations include Copper Canyon Speedway, which appeared in Cars 3, alongside a bowling alley and an ice cream parlor serving “frozen coolant.” These details suggest the project combines racing references with the series’ vehicle-centered humor.
The Drive says R-ya Productions has shared material through YouTube, including a 3D model showcase featuring an Earnhardt-inspired character. The source report does not give a production schedule, runtime, or a complete account of the story beyond the prequel premise and the characters described.
“A self-described aspiring filmmaker”
— Ariya Alexander Berenji, as described by The Drive
Release Plans Remain Unreported
The source material does not say when the film will be released, how long it will be, or whether production has reached animation beyond the showcased 3D models. It also does not establish whether the project will be completed, where a finished version would be shown, or whether Pixar has commented on it. The character descriptions and story details are information about Berenji’s fan project, not confirmed Pixar plans.
The report does not identify a David Pearson-inspired character. The Drive’s writer expresses hope that one might appear, but that is speculation, not a confirmed part of the film.
Watch for Production Updates
R-ya Productions’ YouTube channel is the place identified by The Drive for further updates on Berenji’s project. Future posts may clarify the film’s progress, cast of characters, finished story, and release plans. Until those details are provided, the confirmed development is that Berenji is making a Cars prequel fan film and has shared NASCAR-inspired character designs.
Key Questions
Who is making the Cars prequel fan film?
Ariya Alexander Berenji, an animator and self-described aspiring filmmaker who posts through R-ya Productions on YouTube, is developing the project.
What is the fan film about?
It is described as a prequel about Strip Weathers, the Richard Petty-inspired character from Pixar’s Cars, before he became known as The King.
Which NASCAR-inspired characters are included?
The report describes designs based on Dale Earnhardt and Bill Elliott, as well as the returning characters Weathers and Chick Hicks. It also introduces Toni Jo Torque, a fictional five-time champion and mentor.
When will the film be released?
No release date is given in the source report. It also does not confirm when the film will be completed or where it will be available.
Is this an official Pixar Cars movie?
The report presents it as a fan film made by Berenji. It provides no evidence that Pixar is producing, endorsing or officially distributing the project.
Source: rss
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