Taking place sometime after the events of the previous game, Cars Mater-National Championship is about the first ever Mater-National tournament, held in Radiator Springs by Lightning McQueen and Mater. The player controls McQueen as he races against opponents from around the world, all while overseeing the building of his racing headquarters and the ambitious Radiator Springs racing stadium. In addition to returning characters, there are multiple new characters that appear in the game, many of which come from different countries such as Germany and Japan.
Just like the previous game, Mater-National features three hub-worlds; Radiator Springs, Ornament Valley, and Tailfin Pass - all of which have been redesigned, although certain areas are blocked off and can only be accessed in races.