Just a day after the Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson sparked what might be one of the most controversial moves against NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr., the JR Motorsports owner has finally broken his silence on the brewing trademark battle.
On April 2, multiple reports surfaced claiming that Jackson had filed a formal complaint against the 26-time Cup Series winner. At the heart of the legal dispute? Dale Jr.’s stylized #8, which Jackson argued closely resembled the one featured on his brand ‘ERA 8 by Lamar Jackson.’
It all began when the former stock car racer aimed to trademark his stylized #8, which debuted in the Xfinity Series in 2019. However, upon learning about Earnhardt Jr.’s intent to secure the same trademark, Lamar Jackson quickly filed an opposition claim with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
Jackson’s filing argued that granting Earnhardt Jr.’s trademark request could create confusion among consumers. As a result, the entire sporting world braced for a high-stakes court battle between the NFL MVP and the NASCAR legend.
However, in a surprising twist, Earnhardt Jr. chose to back out of the feud with a move that ultimately benefited both parties.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Releases an Official Statement on Social Media
The 50-year-old revealed a statement citing JR Motorsports’ response to Jackson’s complaint. The statement read, “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.
pic.twitter.com/uZWk8kPlcW
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) April 4, 2025
“We are looking forward to the remainder of an already successful season.” Overall, Dale Jr. will officially switch to his classic DEI stylized #8, thanks to Jackson’s court move. However, despite the NASCAR superstar finally returning to his successful logo, fans continue to torment the NFL star on social media.
“Lamar blows. He can’t even win a ring, much less a lawsuit,” one fan wrote. Meanwhile, another user swiftly stepped in to clarify Dale Jr.’s reasoning to disappointed fans who were accusing the NASCAR Cup winner of giving up without a fight.
“The amount of people that don’t understand. Dale doesn’t give a crap about the generic style #8. He secured the patent for the throwback style from his DEI days. That is the one that matters and the one JRM will continue to display,” the user pointed out on X.
Therefore, this is certainly a win for Dale Jr., who has managed to fall back into his most successful #8 logo. But the question is, will this change bring more luck into JRM?
