In NASCAR’s storied history, few numbers carry the weight and emotional resonance of the No. 8. For generations of race fans, that slanted, bold digit painted on the side of a Budweiser-red Chevrolet meant only one thing: Dale Earnhardt Jr. was coming through the track. The number that defined Junior’s early career – the same one that titled his 2002 autobiography “Driver #8” – recently became the center of an unexpected legal battle with Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. But on Friday, Dale Jr. effectively settled the dispute with a simple tweet that marked the end of one chapter and the revival of another in the Earnhardt legacy.
The conflict, which pitted NASCAR royalty against an NFL MVP, centered around something seemingly simple yet incredibly valuable in the world of sports merchandising. And that is the right to profit from a stylized number that both athletes have used to build their respective brands.
Dale Jr. signs a peace treaty with Lamar Jackson over the ownership of #8
The controversy began brewing when DEJ Holdings, one of Earnhardt’s companies, filed applications to trademark two different stylized versions of the No. 8 last year. The bolder, slanted version that Dale Jr. made famous during his early NASCAR career went unchallenged. However, the simpler version currently used by JR Motorsports faced opposition from an unexpected source – Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens. Like Dale Jr. he holds the trademark to “Era 8 By Lamar Jackson.”
Just two days after Jackson filed his challenge on Wednesday, Earnhardt took to Twitter with a definitive announcement: “Through the USTPO, we successfully secured the rights to the stylized 8. Therefore, we will be moving away from the original JRM 8 we have used since 2019. We are looking forward to the remainder of an already successful season.”
This swift resolution avoided what could have been a lengthy legal process at the U.S. Patent’s Office Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Had Earnhardt pursued the simpler No. 8 that Jackson challenged, the proceedings could have extended for more than a year, potentially resulting in trademark infringement lawsuits if the racing icon continued using the mark on merchandise. Instead, Earnhardt’s decision to abandon the current logo in favor of his iconic slanted 8 – which he recently secured rights to after Teresa Earnhardt’s DEI failed to renew the original trademark – represents both a practical business move and a meaningful return to form.
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) April 4, 2025
The significance of this decision extends beyond avoiding legal entanglements. For longtime NASCAR fans, seeing the return of the distinctive slanted 8 carries emotional weight, as it represents the style Dale Jr. used while winning 17 Cup Series races, including the 2004 Daytona 500. According to NASCAR statistics, merchandise featuring that original No. 8 accounted for reaching as high as 35% of total merchandise sales during Earnhardt’s peak years at DEI.
The Infinite Journey of 8
Keeping the authoritative power aside for a while, the number 8 has had a journey in itself. The iconic No. 8 has traveled a storied path through NASCAR history, beginning with Billy Carden, who first fielded it in 1949 during the sport’s inaugural season. While many drivers piloted the number through the decades, it was NASCAR Hall of Famer Joe Weatherly who first made it a winner, capturing 20 victories and two championships (1962-63) with the number.
The No. 8 continued its legacy through various hands, including a notable connection when Ed Negre gave Dale Earnhardt Sr. his first Cup Series start in the No. 8 car at Charlotte in 1975. Bobby Hillin Jr. became just the second driver to win with the number at Talladega in 1986, while other notable wheelmen like Sterling Marlin, Jeff Burton, and Hut Stricklin each took turns behind the wheel throughout the 1990s.
The number’s most famous association came when Dale Earnhardt Jr. brought it back to the family name with his Cup Series debut in 1999. Junior collected 17 of his 26 Cup victories with the distinctive slanted No. 8 Budweiser-red Chevrolet, including memorable triumphs at Daytona and five wins at Talladega. After a nine-year absence following Junior’s departure from DEI, Richard Childress Racing revived the number in 2018 with Daniel Hemric, followed by Tyler Reddick, who became just the fourth driver to win with the No. 8 in 2022.
Most recently, two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch took over the number in 2023, quickly finding success with wins at Auto Club Speedway and Talladega. Continuing the rich tradition of a digit that has become one of NASCAR’s most emotionally resonant symbols—now at the center of a trademark battle between Dale Jr. and NFL star Lamar Jackson.
While the legal system will ultimately determine the boundaries of number ownership in sports, Earnhardt’s decision to return to his iconic stylized 8 represents both a business victory and a nostalgic homecoming.
The post Dale Earnhardt Jr. Puts an End to Lamar Jackson’s Short-Lived Legal Battle as He Confirms No. 8’s Fate appeared first on EssentiallySports.