The decision to eliminate stage breaks in NASCAR had a significant impact on the racing dynamics. It seems like NASCAR’s decision to eliminate stage break cautions at road and street courses to allow the event to flow more naturally hasn’t gone as planned, as evident in the Indy Road Course and Watkins Glen races. Even though each race still had specified stages, no caution was thrown when each stage was completed; only points were awarded to the top 10 runners.

While it seems like as NASCAR nears the round of 12, the governing body has reversed its decision and left fans and drivers divided in their opinions on the stage break’s presence. Joey Logano and Michael McDowell also offered their perspectives on the matter. The impact of this decision on the sport’s overall excitement and strategy remains a topic of discussion among NASCAR enthusiasts.

Michael McDowell’s take on Joey Logano’s claim

The last race at Watkins Glen, which was conducted without stage breaks, lasted just 2 hours and 9 minutes. Now that NASCAR authorities believe stage breaks could bring the ignition back, they are bringing stage break cautions back for the upcoming Cup and Xfinity playoff races at the Charlotte Roval next month.

Joey Logano, in his support for this decision, emphasized the importance of strategy options. The No. 22 stated that without stage breaks, races could sometimes resemble Formula 1 events with limited cautions, making them less exciting. Logano reasoned that knowing when cautions will occur adds a strategic element to the race, and it’s not a gimmick.

Joey Logano exclaimed during the interview with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, “There’s zero chance of recovery without a caution. (…) If we all know the caution gonna be there, it’s not manufactured, it’s not like, oh it’s a gimmick race, No, there’s not a case at all like we know goons to be there, we can race around that. A gimmick caution could be a caution for one mysterious piece of debris that’s actually there, that’s gimmicky.”

According to Logano, having stage cautions also adds a predictable element to the race. On the contrary, Michael McDowell had a different perspective. The No. 34 responded to Logano’s stance on stage breaks, highlighting the chaos that often ensues during restarts.

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His tweet read, “Some like it because it gives them an opportunity to make something happen on a restart, like stuffing it 5 wide, bumper car style. It also erases the time gap lost on track due to the lack of actual speed. It gives the guys who can’t run up front all day a shot at it. Indoor karting is entertaining too. Entertainment is subjective so I am good if the fans want it but is that what the fans really want?”.

A must-win situation for Michael McDowell in the upcoming race

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After his victory at the Brickyard 400, Michael McDowell had high hopes and championship aspirations as he entered the playoffs. However, in the playoff opener at Darlington, he started in the 9th position but couldn’t secure any points in either stage 1 or stage 2. To make matters worse, McDowell was involved in a five-car wreck late in the race, ultimately finishing in P32.

As he headed into the second Round of 16 race at Kansas Speedway, McDowell found himself in the 16th position in the playoff standings, trailing 12th-placed Christopher Bell by 19 points, which was the cutoff position for the next round of the playoffs. It appeared that McDowell and the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports team need to advance, and they’ll need to secure a victory at Bristol Motor Speedway, as their current points deficit makes winning a crucial requirement.

READ MORE: “They Won’t Let Us” – NASCAR Snubbed Michael McDowell’s Streak During Chase Elliott’s Failed Do-or-Die Moment at Daytona

McDowell, as a road course king, led the highest laps at road courses this season. While opinions among drivers would differ, stage breaks have historically offered opportunities for intense racing moments and strategic decision-making. For fans of road course racing, this reintroduction is likely to make the NASCAR experience more entertaining and engaging. What do you think?