Any Reason to Cut Transmission Crossmember?

So, I am turning my 68 Barracuda into a TT/Track day car and while fixing some sheet metal issues I noticed that someone has cut the transmission crossmember. It looks like it was done for shift rod clearance; Has anyone seen this before? I have another cross member and will cut this one out and weld in the other one. I am not sure I have the correct shift rods, but if I get new ones they should all clear the crossmember?

(Also that terrible install of the shift tunnel will be corrected)