Before the start of the 2023 NASCAR season, the sport decided to make a change that would improve the status of road course racing. NASCAR removed stage cautions but kept the stages to promote more green-flag racing and strategy. This was on display at both the Indianapolis Road Course and Watkins Glen; however, that will no longer be the case.
NASCAR announced on Tuesday morning that stage cautions will return immediately starting at the Charlotte ROVAL next month. It will be the first road course of the 2023 season that features stage yellows. This is a big and disappointing rule change as the stage cautions were not causing the poor racing. It was the NextGen car itself.
NEWS: NASCAR officials bring back stage breaks for the #NASCARPlayoffs race on the @CLTMotorSpdwy road course.
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 12, 2023
There is only one road course left on the 2023 schedule so this controversial rule change will only be featured in one event. Hopefully, NASCAR can fix the road course package and produce better road course racing overall for the 2024 season, whether there are stage cautions or not.
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