Latest news with #No.8.
New York Times
12-04-2025
- Automotive
- New York Times
NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol odds, predictions: Can Denny Hamlin get three straight? Will tire-wear bring strategy and chaos?
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Bristol Motor Speedway — the track most lately infamous for last year's mysterious tire-wear race. Kyle Larson is favored to win, but Denny Hamlin could have some extra motivation to extend his current winning streak to three, and, of course, there's a field stacked with top drivers looking for their first win of the year. Advertisement As we do every week, we're bringing our latest NASCAR-related questions to our NASCAR experts, Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi. This week, they're answering questions about all the legal cases swirling, how 'Throwback Weekend' could be improved, whether NASCAR has responded strongly enough to the Xfinity debacle at Martinsville, tire-wear questions ahead of Bristol and more. Take it away, guys! Following NASCAR is starting to feel like watching a courtroom drama. Can you break down for us quickly all the suits and countersuits and restraining orders happening between teams and the league? And tell us how you think it could affect the season or the future of NASCAR? (To start with a softball question…) Jeff: It's certainly understandable why it feels that way, between 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports' antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR — and all the various developments with that — plus Legacy Motor Club suing Rick Ware Racing over a charter and then even Lamar Jackson contesting Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s trademark claim to a stylized No. 8. But while it may seem overwhelming, most of the discussions revolve around the frequent headlines on the antitrust lawsuit — which is quite serious and probably the single most important legal matter to hit NASCAR in a long time. Depending on what happens with that, it really could change the future of the sport, although it's always difficult to predict what could be the outcome of an antitrust case. For example, imagine trying to predict the fallout from the NCAA's antitrust settlement beforehand, with the impact of NIL deals and all of that. We'll just have to see how it all plays out, but the biggest headlines may be still to come. Jordan: The only guarantee out of all this is that lawyers are getting paid. Billable hours remain undefeated. As for the long-term implications, it's too early to know definitively. It certainly seems that with Legacy willing to pay RWR $45 million for its charter, according to sources, the cost to purchase a charter has risen considerably and is expected only to continue to climb. This sport has taken on a much different complexion in recent years, and this is just the latest example. Advertisement Let's go easy: If someone hosts a Halloween party and only half of the guests show up in costume, is it still worth having a themed event? Ha! That was a trick; you opened your Darlington recap with that question as a lead-in to asking whether 'Throwback Weekend' should be retired. Maybe my real question — for you and for readers — is: Any other ideas for honoring the nostalgia of a throwback weekend without turning it into a fight for branding space on the cars? Jeff: Bringing out every generation of NASCAR stock cars to take laps around the track, hosting a NASCAR memorabilia collectibles show and inviting even more old-school drivers for a 'Legends Day'-type event are ideas I've seen used to great success at the Indy 500 every year. Nostalgia is one of the most popular topics with NASCAR fans when it comes to drivers, cars, rules and playoff formats, so why not continue to push in that area? It would be nice if every team ran a throwback paint scheme, but a 'heritage weekend' could be about much more than just the look of the cars. Jordan: I second incorporating all the ideas Jeff notes above, but here is another suggestion to enhance the weekend: Move the NASCAR Hall of Fame ceremony from its current spot in late January or early February, where it's too frequently overlooked, to an evening in the lead-up to Darlington. Doing so would not only make it significantly easier for active drivers, crew chiefs and other industry people to attend, but also draw more attention to what is supposed to be a celebration of the sport's past. Invite the newest inductees to be race dignitaries, blow out the weekend by going full-on nostalgia, and suddenly, Throwback Weekend again becomes one of the most anticipated race weekends on the calendar. In Jeff's 12 Questions with William Byron, Byron pointed out that a lot of people don't necessarily realize how difficult the sport is. What are some of the best analogies or descriptions you've heard from drivers that help illustrate just how hard it is? Jeff: I actually thought what Byron went on to say in that interview was a very impactful way to describe it: 'You're literally fighting the car on the edge, like if you were driving on ice.' Imagine basically being on the verge of spinning out and crashing into a wall while attempting to go as fast as possible — all with 35 other cars racing around you trying to do the same thing. One of the flaws of NASCAR TV broadcasts has always been how they fail to capture the sensation of speed, whereas being at the racetrack can be a jaw-dropper in terms of what these drivers are actually doing. When you combine that speed with having to wrestle their cars for three or four hours inside sweltering cockpits while wearing firesuits and helmets, it's a pretty impressive feat. Advertisement Jordan: The physical toll drivers endure needs to be spotlighted more. How to best explain this to a viewer at home has always been the challenge, but if it could be figured out, it could certainly better put into perspective just how difficult it is to be a race-winning driver at the highest level. Last week, we touched on the Xfinity mess at Martinsville and how it looks like NASCAR needs to figure out a way to curb some of the aggressive driving that Xfinity's pay-to-play model has encouraged lately. From what you're hearing coming out of last Saturday's meeting, is NASCAR doing enough? Jeff: NASCAR doesn't want to get involved down to a micro level on when to call penalties, so the officials' message is often similar to a parent: 'Don't make us come down there!' But in this case, there needs to be some action behind the words, or the child will continue to push the limits and get away with it. It remains to be seen if NASCAR's latest threats will have an impact on the Xfinity Series drivers, but we might not truly know until the next Martinsville race in October. Other than that, Xfinity doesn't typically see the sort of debacle we saw recently. Jordan: While NASCAR laying into drivers last weekend was needed, the reality is that when the series returns to Martinsville in the fall for a semifinal-round elimination playoff race, NASCAR needs to hold a similar meeting and make it clear what behavior is acceptable and not acceptable. Reinforce what was said last weekend, but then follow it up by officiating the race in a hard manner where nothing over the line is tolerated. What's up with the tires this week? Last spring was one of the most bizarre races ever, with a tire that wore out super fast, but then the fall race was the total opposite. What gives? Jeff: It's still a mystery! Goodyear insists it brought the exact same tire for both races, except the rubber behaved completely differently. Was it temperature? Eh, maybe? But Goodyear, NASCAR and the race teams all went back in September after expecting to see a somewhat similar race to the spring — with high tire wear again — and it didn't happen at all. Most drivers think this will be a typical Bristol race instead of the wild one we saw at this time last year. Jordan: (Insert shrug emoji) Honestly, no one really knows what's going to happen with the tires on Sunday. It's all guesswork at this point. (Insert more shrug emojis) Denny Hamlin won that unpredictable tire-wear race at Bristol last spring. Could he get three in a row after his 31-race winless streak? Is he racing any differently? Jeff: Hamlin could definitely win three races in a row, as he's second among active drivers with four Bristol victories. He leads all drivers with victories on short tracks in the Next Gen car. But it's extremely difficult to win three straight, even though Hamlin's teammate, Christopher Bell, did it recently. Thinking we could see two drivers go back-to-back-to-back within the first nine races of the season seems pretty hard to believe, but Hamlin's Bristol prowess certainly makes it possible. Jordan: Considering Hamlin has won two of the past three Bristol races, yeah, he has a good chance to run his winning streak up to three on Sunday. And especially so if tire wear is a thing on Sunday, as Hamlin is one of the very best at managing his tires. Advertisement OK, let's hear some predictions for who wins this Sunday. Jeff: Not to be boring, but it's going to be tough to beat race favorite Kyle Larson this week. In September on this same tire, he led 462 of the 500 laps at Bristol in a complete smackdown of the field and won by more than seven seconds. Seven! At a half-mile track! It wasn't even close. If he qualifies well on Saturday and sets himself up with good track position for Sunday's race, it would be easy to see him do it again. Jordan: Picking either Larson or Hamlin is the safe bet, as both feel like they're a level above everyone else here. Any long shots looking promising this week? Jeff: I wouldn't go any lower than the drivers listed at +3000 this week because Bristol isn't typically a track for upset winners. I could see sprinkling a few bucks on Josh Berry or Ryan Preece (both +3000) or perhaps 2022 winner Chris Buescher (+2500). But any lower than that seems like a waste, as, unfortunately, oddsmakers have already priced in some of the potential upset picks. (Ty Gibbs, for example, would have been an excellent long shot, except he has the seventh-best odds at +1600. Boo.) Jordan: That 23XI Racing teammates Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace are listed at +3000 is eye-catching. Pretty good value for two drivers who've had a strong start to the season and with Bristol a style of track that fits their respective skillset. Also worth noting that Wallace finished third here last fall. Streaming and Betting/Odds links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication. (Photo of Denny Hamlin: James Gilbert / Getty Images)
Fox Sports
04-04-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
The battle for No. 8: Lamar Jackson vs. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. once co-wrote a book titled "Driver #8," but another famous No. 8 — Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson — is challenging Earnhardt's race team's ability to trademark a No. 8. An Earnhardt company, DEJ Holdings, applied to trademark two stylized No. 8s last year. One was the version that Earnhardt used when driving for Dale Earnhardt Inc. (owned by Earnhardt Jr.'s stepmother, Teresa) and another version, which is currently used by Earnhardt's JR Motorsports. The bolder, slanted version — the one Earnhardt Jr. made famous during his formative years as a driver — has gone unchallenged. But the simpler one that JR Motorsports uses was challenged by Jackson, who holds the trademark to Era 8 By Lamar Jackson. The U.S. Patent's Office Trademark Trial and Appeal Board will conduct proceedings to determine if Earnhardt can trademark the No. 8. If the appeal board denies Earnhardt the trademark and then he uses it for merchandise purposes (Jackson's mark is for backpacks, apparel, etc.), then Jackson could sue Earnhardt for trademark infringement. The trademark review for a challenge takes more than a year. Jackson's filing with the trademark office says the JR Motorsports number is much like his uniform number, which can create confusion. "[Jackson] has expended considerable time, effort, and expense in promoting, advertising, and popularizing the number 8 in connection with his personality and fame ... with the result that the relevant purchasing public has come to know, rely upon, and recognize [his] trademarks as very strong indicators of the source of [his] products provided in connection with his marks," the filing states. Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass. recommended Get more from NASCAR Cup Series Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
NBC Sports
04-04-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Lamar Jackson sparks legal battle with Dale Earnhardt Jr. over No. 8
Last year, it was Lamar Jackson vs. Troy Aikman in a copyright squabble over No. 8. This year, the Ravens quarterback has a legal issue with another pro athlete who is associated with the same number. Attorney Josh Gerben has posted an item on his firm's website regarding an April 2 filing by Jackson in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Jackson challenges the trademark application by Dale Earnhardt Jr. for a stylized version of No. 8. Jackson contends in his submission that: (1) he's widely associated with No. 8 due to his NFL status; (2) Earnhardt's efforts could falsely imply a connection between the two athletes; and (3) customers could mistakenly believe products offered by Earnhardt are related to products offered by Jackson. It's all very early in the process. The Jackson vs. Aikman issue remains pending. This new issue will likely take months if not years to resolve, too. The legal system will decide both issues. And, yes, in both cases it seems to be odd that grown men are fighting over the rights to a number. The fact that the battles exist underscore the reality that big money hinges on the ability, or inability, of someone to obtain squatter's rights on a given digit.
