Noah Gragson gives his verdict on the ‘real 8’ in the wake of Dale Jr. and Lamar Jackson’s legal battle

Modified Apr 05, 2025 11:30 GMT

NASCAR: EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix - Source: Imagn

Front Row Motorsports driver Noah Gragson weighed in on the recent trademark dispute between Dale Jr. and NFL star Lamar Jackson. Amid the debate surrounding the case, the former JR Motorsports driver shared an Instagram post giving his take.

On April 2, reports emerged about a "Notice of Opposition" filed by NFL quarterback Lamar Jackson against Dale Jr., disputing the rights to the number 8 for JRM. Jackson reportedly claimed that the number closely resembled his existing "Era 8" trademark, creating a conflict with his merchandise branding.

In an Instagram post uploaded on Friday, April 4, Noah Gragson shared an image with Dale Jr. after his first Xfinity win, alongside a selfie taken with Lamar Jackson. Giving his take on who the rightful owner of the No.8 was, Gragson captioned the post:

"Dale's the real 8. Who you guys got😮‍💨🫡 For context Real 8 and I after winning first xfinity race at Daytona 2020 Fake 8 and I at drivers meeting charlotte 2024"

In 2019, Gragson joined the Xfinity Series grid with Earnhardt. Jr. co-owned JRM. Piloting the No.9 Chevrolet Camaro, he remained with the team for four seasons and secured 13 victories. Gragson's victory in 2020's Daytona marked JRM's third consecutive win at the season-opening race.

Currently driving for FRM in the Cup Series, Gragson is set to honor Earnhardt Jr. with a special paint scheme for NASCAR's Official Throwback Weekend at Darlington on Sunday, April 6.

Dale Jr. announces retirement of "JRM 8" after trademark dispute with Lamar Jackson

Dale Earnhardt took to social media to announce a resolution of the trademark dispute with Lamar Jackson over the number eight. In his statement, he confirmed the end of an era for JRM's longstanding "JRM 8" branding.

On April 4, Earnhardt. Jr shared an X(formerly Twitter) post with an official update on the dispute, stating :

"Through the USPTO, we have successfully secured the rights to the stylized 8 (the original version made popular in his racing career). Therefore, we will be moving away from the JRM 8 we have used since 2019. We are looking forward to the remainder of an already successful season."

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While the Baltimore Ravens star Jackson wears the number on his jersey, Earnhardt Jr. has a notable history with the number 8. Dale Jr.'s grandfather Ralph Earnhardt drove the No.8 car while winning his 1959 and 1960 NASCAR Limited Sportsman championships.

Dale Earnhardt. Sr used the number throughout the 1980s, while Earnhardt Jr. carried the number during his 1999 to 2007 Cup Series Career.

Junior brought back the No. 8 to the Xfinity Series for the 2025 season, with Sammy Smith behind the wheel. While JRM had used the number since 2019, it wasn’t in the stylized font resembling Dale Jr.'s Cup Series days. However, the stylized font went unchallenged and will remain with the team.

About the author

Vignesh is part of Sportskeeda's motorsports division and covers both NASCAR and Formula 1. As a motorsports enthusiast coming from a Mass Communication and Journalism background, he's found that the best way to immerse himself in the sport is by writing about it. Vignesh likes to root for underdogs, whether they be drivers like Nico Hulkenberg or teams like Williams. When he's not writing, he enjoys playing Badminton and unwinding with stand-up specials.

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Edited by Shirsh