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Dale Earnhardt Jr. Announces Decision On Legal Battle With NFL Star Lamar Jackson

Originally posted on The Spun | By Chris Rosvoglou | Last updated Apr 4, 2025 2:16 PM ET

Former NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. wasted no time sorting out his legal battle with Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Earlier this week, Jackson's legal team filed a notice of opposition against Earnhardt for a certain style usage of the No. 8. His attorneys said Dale Jr.'s pending trademark claim suggested he's connected to the two-time MVP.

Earnhardt used the No. 8 for the prime of his racing career. It wasn't until after he left Dale Earnhardt, Inc. that he switched to No. 88. His stepmother, Teresa, held the rights to No. 8 with DEI while Dale Jr. competed for Hendrick Motorsports. Those rights expired last year though, opening the door for Dale Jr. to reclaim his original number.

Jackson's legal team isn't worried about Earnhardt and JR Motorsports using the classic No. 8 font that was used by DEI. They just don't want them using the new font.

On Friday afternoon, Earnhardt announced that JR Motorsports will go back to using the original No. 8 that he used in the NASCAR Cup Series. As a result, he will abandon his request to trademark the No. 8 that's being challenged by Jackson.

"Through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, we successfully secured the rights to the stylized 8," Dale Jr. said in a statement. "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 should put this legal situation to rest for the remainder of the 2025 NASCAR season.

Jackson has not yet responded to Earnhardt's statement. If we had to guess, his legal team is happy about avoiding a possible trial.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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