Back in May of 2002, Tony Stewart had won at Richmond Raceway, but went on a tirade post-race against 'aero-dependent' cars and how they're making passing difficult. He cautioned that if the issue isn't rectified, the problem will only get 'worse before it gets better'.Stewart's prediction sounds eerily accurate, as the Next Gen package has exacerbated aero concerns, spewing continued debates on dirty air and passing limitations. A recent example would be Dale Earnhardt Jr's gripes with the Next Gen car and Kyle Petty's opposition to it.While Earnhardt complained that the current package behaves more like an IMSA sports car than a stock outfit, Petty argued that NASCAR hasn't raced stock cars since 1958. Nonetheless, the fact remains that passing has indeed suffered under dirty air, and the sport now has to rely on tire wear to allow for any overtakes.The issue was the most apparent at Bristol this year, where a lack of tire falloff registered similar lap times across the field, and Kyle Larson led a dominant 411 out of 500 laps.Tony Stewart's criticism returns to the forefront at such a moment, as the challenges he'd warned about more than two decades ago remain relevant even today."We've got a big problem starting here with aerodynamics and how aero-dependent these cars are getting. We're getting IndyCar-style racing in Winston Cup cars, and something is going to have to be done about it soon, or else we're going to start putting on bad races for the fans....but I hope it gets better before the race fans quit coming," he had said (via X/Nascarman)."Any disturbance in the air in front of you directly affects how your car drives, and at Richmond, you're going through the same set of problems that you do on a mile-and-a-half speedway. It seems like it's getting to the shorter tracks, and the next thing you know, at Bristol, we're going to have this problem. If you get that problem at Bristol, then we've pretty much taken a lot of this sport away from what it used to be," Tony Stewart had added.Notably, the recently concluded Cook Out 400 at Richmond provided a respite to NASCAR's weakening product. Goodyear's option tires saw faster degradation and left the teams scrambling from their usual fuel mileage strategy, resulting in multiple lead changes and a surprise winner in Austin Dillon.Tony Stewart responds to backlash over split with Donny SchatzTony Stewart Racing recently announced the departure of Donny Schatz after a nearly two-decade-long partnership. The decision came just days before the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series' upcoming events and drew backlash from fans and critics alike.Stewart acknowledged the outcry and explained how hard decisions must be made in the best interest of the team."If they're so smart, I'd like to see them on a program, you know? It'd be really fun to watch them step on their d*ck and suffer, and think they know all the answers of what it takes to a professional race team," he said in an interview with Flo Racing.Tony Stewart Racing and Donny Schatz have enjoyed an 18-year stint together. Schatz won eight series titles with the team, along with nine Knoxville Nationals wins.