#7-Robby Gordon launched his new Speed Energy drink last week in hopes of generating enough revenue for him to race next season. But his Speed Energy drink has hit a speed bump. Gordon hopes the rollout of the drink doesn’t get stalled by the “S” logo on his car, driver uniform and on the drink bottle. Gordon has sued Specialized Bicycle Components, which had sent him a cease-and-desist letter over his logo. Specialized now seeks an injunction in U.S. District Court in California to keep Gordon from using the logo he has used periodically since June on his race car in advance of the product launch last week. Specialized alleges that Gordon’s logo is too similar to its logo. If Specialized prevails at the injunction hearing Nov. 15 and Gordon must change his labeling and logos before being able to sell the product, he might not be able to compete in NASCAR next year, Gordon said in court documents. Gordon, who filed his lawsuit in September, claims that he’s not in the bicycle business and therefore there cannot be confusion between the two logos. His Robby Gordon Motorsports organizations fields teams in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series with an occasional start in the Nationwide Series. The energy drink is Gordon’s vision of a new way of NASCAR sponsorship, and the lawsuit with Specialized was an unexpected snag. Specialized alleges that there could be confusion with people who think Gordon or his drink are affiliated with Specialized. The Specialized logo has been in use for 28 years. Gordon says his logo is different because it is shaped more like a lightning bolt. His is orange ‘Â which he said is a carryover from his days driving for Cingluar ‘Â while Specialized’s primary logo is more red. Specialized isn’t buying it, especially because it sponsors a cycling team in partnership with Monster energy drink ‘Â a former sponsor of Gordon. “The parties’ marketing channels substantially overlap,” Specialized says in its filing. An e-mail requesting comment from Specialized was not answered. Gordon referred all questions to his attorney, Steven Nichols, who also is his partner in Speed Energy. Specialized, in a filing Monday, noted that Gordon could have changed the logo before the launch last week. All it is asking is for Gordon to change the logo.(in part from SceneDaily)(11-6-2010)
