First implemented in 2009, the “Wave Around” rule in NASCAR is simply a way for the drivers who are a lap down than the race leaders, to get a free pass and regain their position on the track. An important element that needs to intervene in the race for this rule to work is the pace car. But how does all of that work?
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Before going to the “Wave Around” rule, let’s understand what a free pass means. A free pass, also called “Lucky Dog”, the first car at the back of the field that has been passed by the leader is given this pass so that this driver gets a chance to catch up with the rest of the field and start from the rear of the back on the next restart.
Now, if a driver is a lap down and yet not in the position to be awarded a free pass, the “Wave Around” rule comes to the rescue. When the lead cars pit during a caution, NASCAR allows the lapped cars to make a trip around the track to regain their track positions behind the lead lap cars. The only difference between getting a free pass and a wave around is that in the latter, the lapped drivers cannot commit to the pit lane. This could sometimes prove to be detrimental for fuel and tires.
Why did NASCAR start the Wave Around?
One might wonder if the Lucky Dog gives a free pass to the lapped driver to regain track positions, why even bother formulating another rule for the same purpose? Needless to say, it is not as straightforward as it might sound.
Say a caution comes out. There ought to be some cars behind the leaders when the flagman waves the yellow. While the leader pit under the caution period, the lapped cars capitalize on their free pass to get their lap back. Interestingly, as these cars are not allowed to pit during this period, and neither can they pass the pace car under the caution, they are on the tail-end of the lead lap.
This places them right behind the pace car and also, in front of the lead lap cars, who have just come out of the pit lane. This means the leaders would get stuck at the rear of the field on the next restart.
A video from 2016 explained, “The wave around is an area where what happens is the lead-lap cars pit and the cars still on the race track are then in front of the lead-lap car. Now those cars are lined up between the pace car and the race leader, actually on the tail end of the lead lap (car).”
“NASCAR has decided over the years that starting the cars there is never a good situation so what they do, is they allow those cars to drive past the pace car putting them back on the lead lap. Now they are just all the way at the back of the field. It’s really almost like earning a free lap.”
That surely explains why NASCAR formulated this rule. However, the Wave Around rule, along with the Lucky Dog, might seem to be unjust to many fans. To this day, some feel like the Lucky Dog rule is good for the entertainment factor of the sport, but others might feel like a free pass to regain track positions hurts the integrity of the sport.
