Reba McEntire's Son, Shelby Blackstock, Used to Be a NASCAR Driver
The Happy's Place actress couldn't be prouder of her only son.
Happy's Place star Reba McEntire's son Shelby Blackstock may have inherited his mama's fiery red hair, but when it comes to their professions, the two couldn't be more different. She's an actress and country star and he's an executive — who also happened to be a race car driver! Read all about his career, here.
What does Reba McEntire's son do?
The 35-year-old is a principal and co-founder at B&R Developments, a construction company based in Texas.
But he's just as passionate about his side gig as a racer. As he put it on LinkedIn, "Discovered the passion for racing while I attended college at The University of Arizona in 2010. Deciding to put aside the conventional college dream, I dedicated 100% of my time to a career in racing...From 2012-2017 I contended in the Mazda Road to Indy series (a ladder system to aid young drivers in preparation for the Indy Car series, the top level of American open wheel racing). Within those years, I picked up various podiums and a win."
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What does Reba think of her son's career?
To put it simply: While she nearly passed out the first time she saw him in action, she's thrilled that he discovered his passion. "This thing with Shelby and his racing came out of nowhere. Ever since he was a little bitty boy we’d be driving somewhere and he’d say 'mom, you know what kind of car that is?' I’d say, 'blue?' He’d say, 'no! That’s a Mazda so and so and so and so and so.' The year and everything. I was just like, 'how does he know all that?' And it’s always been cars, cars," she recalled of her son's early interests.
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"He was just so unhappy in college. I said 'Shelby, what is it that makes you happy?' He says, 'racing.' You could have slapped me in the face and I wouldn’t’ve been more shocked. I said, 'What do you mean racing?'" she continued.
On the last day of school, a friend of the family took Blackstock out to brunch to meet an acquaintance with a series of car dealerships and a racing team in upstate New York. Blackstock ended up joining the man's pit crew.
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There are "so many great people in the race car business. I’m just thrilled to death. It’s kind of like being in the rodeo business? It’s like a family," McEntire explained, adding, "I feel so grateful that he is so blessed to be in such a wonderful family. I didn’t say I wasn’t nervous. When that green flag drops, my stomach goes right to my throat."
