Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
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As we watched Ohio State beat Michigan, my brother (the Michigan fan) brought the subject back to racing with the Butler Speedway's biggest fan joining in the conversation. She said in Michigan they refer to what we call the "wave lap" the   'parade lap". At one time we called it the "parade lap", too. Looking through the internet I find it referred to as the "wave lap" as far back as 1960. Does anybody know the history of why it became known as the "wave lap"? It did find one reference to it as the "wave lap parade".

Also, through my 60 years of racing the final race of each division was called the "feature" race. Now it is referred to as the "A-Main". Does anyone know why it became the "A-Main" instead of the "feature" and when?

I don't recall ever hearing the term wave lap but my first races date back to 1960 and I think I can see where it came from.  I still remember the non wing no roll cage Sprints doing parade laps where they'd wave at the fans.  Difference being that back then there was nothing on the he cars to obstruct our view of the drivers so waving was a big deal.  They hadn't started doing four wide so I will expect the two wide salute where they waved are the roots of that term.  If I were to guess where the term Feature came from I'd say it probably dates back to the horse racing roots of Fairgrounds tracks.  They used to use some of those terms interchangeably in the early days.  Someone can correct me if I'm wrong but I believe they even used the term Futurity or something along those lines when referring to auto racing.  Interesting subject.

Stan Meissner

I've only been around racing for about 35 years but I've never hear it called a "wave lap." Maybe it's a geographical thing? 

There is no replacement for cubic displacement 

Not only do I think it is a geographical thing, I think it may be a track by track thing.   For me, it was "the parde lap where the drivers wave to the fans.  You can only have an A-main if you have a B-main.  Otherwise it is Feature Event time. .

I go back as far as the early '50's. I recall it much like StanM does. Always as the parade lap, and not as the wave lap. I too recall when the drivers would wave to the fans. I don't recall when the practice halted, but again I think StanM has it right. As for when the fans bagan doing the "wave" (which I believe was borrowed from football), I don't think that has anything to do with the refrence of the name wave lap. As for the championship races, around here they were always referred to as the C Feature, B Feature and A Feature. The term A Main may have derived from how the race was announced quite often from years back......"and now it's time for our Main Event......the A Feature". I remember that announcement clearly here at the annual Fair races, and in time it may have simply changed to the A Main. Keep in mind, the announcers came with the series that was racing, and not from the ranks of local announcers. I would guess as the announcers crossed paths and visited, that many things evolved through them. The largest events in the Midwest and on the Fair circuit were the IMCA Sprints. That group ran a lot of racse through the summers. Around here the older fans still call it the A Feature, as do many of the younger fans who picked it up from the parents. I catch myself more often than not, saying A Feature, although there are times I say A Main. Depends on the crowd I'm with I guess....lol. To me, both are correct!

Never heard it called a wave lap. Back in the late 50's at the jalopy races the drivers would put an arm out the drivers window and wave to the fans on what was always called the parade lap.

I don't recall the use of the term "A main" till there was more than 1 class. With only 1 class of cars the last race was the nights "featured" event of the night. Can't call it that with 2 or 3 classes. Each class ran a feature, so to not make the other classes seem lesser, they were all changed to A mains. 

I believe some of the wordings came about because at a lot of the old fairground tracks and many others they used the same announcers that ususally announced the horse racing......

As several of you have said, I don’t remember it ever being called the "Wave Lap", either, but suspect it came from when the drivers would wave to the stands during the "Parade Lap". As far as the Main Events being designated A, B, C etc., how many remember this: They ran the Main Event after running a Semi-Main? Not only that, but during big races (100 lappers or "Championship" races), the "Semi" could have as many as 40 cars and run 30, 40 laps or more.

Yup, remember the B being called the Semi Main or Semi Feature. At that time what we now call a C main was called the Consultation.