This is meant to be a recreation of the "Lost" deleted scene from the Cars DVD and Blu-ray bonus features.

Despite Lightning McQueen using fake headlights in the first film, he has actual headlights in the second movie.

While Lightning is searching for Mack, you can barely see the 1997 DreamWorks Pictures clouds and the desert road at night to make it look like it was in the movie. also, Steve Ogden from Overheated in his restored form, along with Jonathan Wrenchworths can be seen driving on the road.