Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s trademark history traced back to his father
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Oct 19, 2026, 12:03 PM
Last updated Oct 19, 2026
The trademark for 'Dale Earnhardt Jr.' was filed by his father, R. Dale Earnhardt, on June 23, 2000. It was registered in January 2003 under the RDE Administrative Trust, with Teresa H. Earnhardt as trustee. Dale Earnhardt Jr. discussed the history of his name's usage during the 'Ask Jr.' segment of the Dale Jr. Download, revealing challenges he faced in securing the rights to his name. He mentioned a period where using 'Dale Jr.' was preferred due to legal concerns and practicality during autograph signing. Ownership updates for the trademark occurred in 2006 and 2008, but the specific terms of the transfer remain unclear.
- •Dale Earnhardt filed for the trademark in June 2000.
- •Teresa H. Earnhardt became trustee when it registered in January 2003.
- •Ownership changes occurred in 2006 and 2008 without clear terms.
- •Earnhardt Jr. opted for 'Dale Jr.' during autograph signings for practicality.
- •Legal battles within the Earnhardt family regarding name use have occurred.
- 12:03 PMYahoo Sports — The 'Dale Earnhardt Jr.' Trademark Was Filed by His Father and Held by Teresa Before It Reached Him
"The federal trademark registration for "Dale Earnhardt Jr." was not filed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. The application, received by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on June 23, 2000, lists his father, R. Dale Earnhardt, as the applicant. When it registered in January 2003, the owner of record was the RDE Administrative Trust, with Teresa H. Earnhardt as trustee. That file sits behind an answer Earnhardt Jr. gave during the "Ask Jr." segment of the Dale Jr. Download, posted Oct. 13 on Dirty Mo Media
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