Dale Earnhardt Jr’s Stepmother Follows Through on the Grudge, With His Legacy Also Hanging in the Balance

Not long ago, reports surfaced that Teresa Earnhardt hadn’t made a move to renew the trademark rights DEI has for the #8, a number closely associated with her husband, Dale Earnhardt, and her stepson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Interestingly, while the deadline for renewing the #8 is June 3 2024, she moved ahead with renewing #1 back in November, something that might have been sparked by irritation over one of Dale Jr’s podcast episodes. But what about the #8?

Is this another way for her to pester Dale Earnhardt Jr? Or could she eventually decide to bury the hatchet with him?

A fresh move to disrupt Junior’s world or a reconciliation, we’ll know soon enough

Teresa Earnhardt hasn’t started the renewal process for the #8 trademark yet, which could open a door for Dale Jr. He might seize this opportunity to reclaim it for rebranding in the Xfinity series. We can only imagine the potential—Dale Jr throwback merchandise, vintage lines, and other themed products celebrating his career. Everything about it could be iconic. However, given Teresa Earnhardt’s track record, it’s doubtful she’d let this happen.

She filed for the #1 trademark renewal in November 2023 following an episode of Dale Jr Download with Ty Norris, where they discussed Junior’s relationship with Teresa, including the time she hadn’t paid him his salary. It seems she’s still harboring a grudge against Norris, who’s now at Trackhouse. She likely keeps tabs on the podcast—perhaps her lawyers flagged the Norris episode, stirring up enough irritation to make her cling to the #1 trademark. So, if history is any guide, she might hold onto the #8 with similar tenacity.

Remember when, back in 2022, Trackhouse wanted to sport those Coca-Cola throwback schemes reminiscent of Dale Earnhardt? They hit a block named Teresa Earnhardt. Her team intervened, telling them they couldn’t use the #1 in that particular font with their paint scheme. Since Teresa doesn’t use these trademarks for merchandizing, her insistence on holding them seems driven solely by personal grievances. And that’s why it’d be quite a surprise if she let the #8 go to Dale Jr.

Ever since Dale Earnhardt’s passing, Teresa has had a notably tense relationship with Junior. It often seemed as though she was determined to retain control over all things related to Dale Earnhardt, showing little interest in sharing with his children. Remember how Dale Jr had to wrangle with her over his dad’s race team?

And then there was the time Teresa sued Kerry Earnhardt for using the Earnhardt name on a line of homes and furniture dubbed “The Earnhardt Collection.” There was also that Budweiser commercial meant to pay tribute to Dale Jr before his final Cup Series race. Fans were quick to spot that Jr’s #8 and any other DEI trademarks—which Teresa still owns—were conspicuously absent from the ad. Many took this as a sign that Teresa wouldn’t let Budweiser use these symbols in the tribute. But considering her ominous inactivity to file for the #8 trademark, could she be looking to patch things up?

For now though, Dale Jr doesn’t need to stress about the June 3 deadline. Meanwhile, NASCAR fans are all abuzz, eagerly anticipating the release of a documentary on Amazon Prime featuring his father, Dale Earnhardt. This upcoming series is sure to spark even more excitement and nostalgia among the racing community. Hopefully, fans will know more about Teresa Earnhardt, her relationship with Dale Jr, and his father.

Amazon is gearing up to release a four-part documentary about ‘The Intimidator’

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While Earnhardt’s legendary status is well-acknowledged among racing enthusiasts, his story is seldom explored outside the racing world. The documentary, a joint venture between Imagine Documentaries, NASCAR Productions, and Everyone Else, aims to change that.

Dubbed The Intimidator, the series promises to offer a deep, revealing look at an iconic American family, featuring exclusive footage provided by NASCAR and the Earnhardt family. This approach follows the successful multi-part format popularized by ESPN and Netflix’s The Last Dance, which focused on Michael Jordan.

Prime Video is touting “unparalleled access and never-before-seen archival material,” which is quite a claim given the existing documentaries about Earnhardt, including the ESPN E60 film, INTIMIDATOR: The Lasting Legacy of Dale Earnhardt, from 2021.

While no official release date is set for this documentary, it aligns with Amazon’s upcoming NASCAR race broadcasts starting May 2025, where Dale Earnhardt Jr will join the commentary team. A release coinciding with the start of these broadcasts next year would be timely, assuming the project wraps up by then.

The series will not only spotlight Earnhardt Sr as a towering figure in racing but also as a family man and entrepreneur who founded Dale Earnhardt, Inc. The documentary is poised to add a rich story to the narrative surrounding the Earnhardt legacy, exploring his impact on and off the racetrack.