Reba McEntire Nearly Passed Out Watching Her Son Shelby Drive a Race Car
There’s no one tougher than Reba McEntire. The country icon, Coach on The Voice and star of Happy’s Place is the definition of “survivor,” but there’s one thing that can still make her feel unsteady: watching her son Shelby in a race!
Shelby Blackstock, McEntire’s only child, is in the construction business. But for many years, he was also a successful race car driver, something McEntire fully supports. It just took her a second to get on board when she first saw him in action.
“When I first went to the Daytona Speedway and he was racing at Daytona — they drop that green flag and here they come racing around — and I was sitting there filming him. And all I could see was his car and then underneath the helmet was this little bitty baby face,” McEntire shared on The Rachael Ray Show in 2018. “It just broke my heart!”
McEntire said she sat down because she was “about to pass out,” until “Carolyn, my tour manager, came over and she said, ‘Are you alright?’ And I said, ‘Oh my gosh, gimme a second,” she recalled. “And then I watched the rest of the race, it was alright … Hits your heart.”
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Reba McEntire and her son Shelby Blackstock are super close
It’s not just their matching smiles, Blackstock and McEntire share a tight bond, and Blackstock takes every opportunity to praise his mama. On Mother’s Day in 2025, for instance, he wrote on Instagram: “Happy Mother’s Day to the best there is. Your love, strength, and wisdom shaped me—and I’m forever thankful. Love you always. @reba #happymothersday❤️ #best #mom.”
“Oh, hey!!! I took those 😏 Happy Mothers Day, @reba — even though you never let us win at Skyjo. Or Rummikub… or Phase 10…” commented Blackstock’s wife, Marissa. She’s not kidding about McEntire being a fierce board game player. In fact, it’s been part of her parenting philosophy since day one.
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“When we would play games or cards, I’d never let Shelby win,” she told People in 2022. “He wouldn’t have learned anything that way. I always told Shelby, ‘I’ll always love you, but I want other people to like you. So don’t be a little jerk. Don’t be a spoiled brat.’” Well, it sounds like her methods totally paid off! Shelby is humble, and loves his mama.
