Last weekend, the NASCAR world was whipped up into a frenzy over, of all things, a trademark application to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Dale Earnhardt Jr. Holdings LLC applied for the No. 8 trademark used on Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s car when he drove for Dale Earnahrdt Inc. What is going on?
When Dale Earnhardt tragically passed away in February 2001, his widow, Teresa Earnhardt, took over the business operations at DEI. She has since owned all of the trademarks and licensing for the business.
Things came to a head in 2007, when Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his sister, Kelly Earnhardt Miller, sought an ownership stake in DEI. The pair couldn’t agree on a deal with Teresa, and Dale Jr. moved on to race for Hendrick Motorsports the following season. Teresa kept the trademarked No. 8, which included the same font as Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s iconic No. 3 car.
This angered many fans, as Dale Jr. was the most popular driver in the sport at this time. Ever since, Teresa has continuously protected the trademarks she owns, but, it’s not been without criticism.
Since then, Earnhardt has found herself in multiple legal battles regarding licensing Earnhardt-related things. This includes a dispute with Kerry Earnhardt (Dale Sr.’s son from a previous marriage) over using the “Earnhardt” name on homes Kerry built alongside his wife. Teresa also forced Carowinds amusement part to rename the “Intimidator” coaster to “Thunder Striker”. The Kannapolis Intimidators, a minor league baseball team, also was forced to change their name in 2019 to the Cannon Ballers, and one of the reasons stated was, “[W]e do not own and therefore cannot confidently build around the Intimidator name.”
All that to say, Teresa Earnhardt has been very protective of this licensing for years now. However, this recent application is a surprise. Instead of fighting for the trademark, it seems Dale Earnhardt Jr. can get the trademark that highlighted the early portions of his career.
If it goes through, getting this trademark would not lead to any major changes at JR Motorsports in the short term if it happens. However, it would allow Dale Jr. to use the trademark in throwback paint schemes, merchandise, and the like. We will have to see how it breaks down.
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Two NASCAR Cup Series crew members for Ross Chastain’s No. 1 team were suspended following the race at Circuit of the Americas
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On February 17, Ubisoft released a trailer that confirmed that NASCAR would be included in The Crew Motorfest’s next season update. Details were limited at the time, but in a press release issued today, Ubisoft revealed the full details of the update ahead of its March 4 launch.
Ubisoft says drafting will affect car speed and help save fuel, implying that drafting will be a huge factor in the game, at least with these cars. You can check out this and much more on Ubisoft’s official post linked below
Earlier this Tuesday, the official The Crew Motorfest account clarified confusion around the NASCAR bundles. The Crew Credit (CC) bundles only include cosmetic team liveries, not additional cars. The 3 base Next Gen cars (Ford Mustang Dark Horse, Toyota Camry XSE, and Chevrolet ZL1) are part of the free Season 9 update and can be purchased separately.
Mitch Rasmussen, NASCAR’s Senior Director of Interactive, said in the press release:
We’re excited to bring our iconic brand to life in The Crew Motorfest. This collaboration represents another important step in our strategy to bring NASCAR into the digital spaces and places where next generation fans spend their time, giving players new ways to interact with the culture and communities they love.
The content arrives as part of Year 3 Season 9 and is officially licensed by NASCAR. You can watch the first trailer and learn more in the article linked below
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Four road courses on the schedule, and somehow that’s enough to spark one of the biggest debates in the garage. After recent comments from Brad Keselowski questioning the business value of road racing, the conversation has picked up serious steam. Is NASCAR leaning too far into it, or is the current balance about right?
There are valid points on both sides, from sponsorship realities to fan traditions to competitive diversity. Some tracks have gained traction. Others have struggled. The question isn’t just whether road courses belong, but how many make sense within a 36-race season. It’s less about extremes and more about direction. And with future schedule changes always looming, this debate probably isn’t settled anytime soon.
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