Earnhardt’s response on X appears to have put the issue to bed.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A trademark dispute between NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson appears to be resolved after the Hall of Fame racer announced plans to change his team’s style.
The dispute is about the number 8.
Jackson filed his opposition on Wednesday, stating that he will be negatively impacted by Earnhardt’s trademark. He filed a trademark for “Era 8” and “Era 8 by Lamar Jackson” as early as 2020 for various merchandise, including shirts, hats, bags, etc.
He worries that Earnhardt’s trademark will damage his efforts to earn money from the number and his brand.
Earnhardt’s Mooresville-based company, DEJ Holdings, filed to trademark the number for merchandising in 2024. The move was a notable win for Earnhardt, who had been trying to obtain the rights to a stylized version of the number from Teresa Earnhardt, his stepmother, for well over a decade.
Sammy Smith pilots the No. 8 for JR Motorsports, which Dale Earnhardt Jr. owns, in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The number uses the same font that Earnhardt used when he raced for Dale Earnhardt Incorporated in the 2000s. Earnhardt’s red No. 8 with sponsorship from Budweiser was one of the most iconic looks in NASCAR history.
Earnhardt responded to the claim on X Friday, saying his team will continue to use the stylized version of the number and will move away from the original JR Motorsports font.
“We are looking forward to the remainder of an already successful season,” Earnhardt wrote in a statement.
Jackson filed a similar trademark opposition to NFL legend Troy Aikman for his trademark of the word “Eight” in 2024. That dispute is ongoing.
