In a move that has ignited nostalgia among NASCAR fans, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has announced that JR Motorsports will officially adopt the stylized No. 8 he made famous during his time at Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI). This decision comes after a surprising trademark dispute involving Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who recently filed for exclusive rights to a similarly designed number 8 logo.
For Earnhardt Jr., the number 8 isn’t just another numeral on the side of a race car—it represents a significant chapter in his racing legacy. During his early NASCAR Cup Series career with DEI, Dale Jr. drove the red No. 8 Chevrolet, racking up 17 wins, including two Daytona 500 victories. The stylized 8 logo became one of the most recognizable icons in motorsports during the early 2000s, closely tied to Earnhardt Jr.’s popularity and brand.
However, since leaving DEI and forming JR Motorsports, Dale Jr. had never officially brought back the DEI-era stylized 8—until now. The change was sparked after NFL star Lamar Jackson, who also wears No. 8 for the Baltimore Ravens, filed a trademark application for a custom-designed 8 logo bearing a striking resemblance to the version long associated with Dale Jr. and his DEI days. Jackson’s filing raised eyebrows in both the sports and branding communities, setting off a flurry of legal conversations about intellectual property, likeness, and prior use.
Rather than pursue a prolonged legal battle, Earnhardt Jr. chose to reassert his historical connection to the stylized 8 by bringing it back into active competition. According to sources close to JR Motorsports, the team worked with legal experts and graphic designers to update and secure their own trademarks for the design. The team will now feature the stylized 8 on select JR Motorsports vehicles starting in the upcoming Xfinity Series season.
“This number has always meant a lot to me and my fans,” Earnhardt Jr. said in a statement. “We built something special around that 8 during my time at DEI. I didn’t want there to be any confusion about where it came from or what it represents. So, it just made sense to bring it back under the JR Motorsports banner and make it official.”
Fans have responded enthusiastically to the announcement, flooding social media with throwback photos of Dale Jr.’s DEI days and celebrating the return of the iconic number. For many, the No. 8 represents a golden era in NASCAR when Dale Jr. was at the height of his popularity, winning races and bringing new fans to the sport.
While Lamar Jackson’s trademark filing remains under review, the decision by JR Motorsports effectively stakes a public claim to the stylized 8 in the motorsports world. The move allows Earnhardt Jr. to preserve the legacy of the number that fans closely associate with his name, while also introducing it to a new generation of racing enthusiasts.
As JR Motorsports prepares for the upcoming season, the return of the stylized 8 is expected to appear not only on race cars but also across team merchandise and apparel, signaling a full-circle moment in Dale Jr.’s career.