FORT WORTH, Texas — Revelations in Amanda Beard’s recently released memoir “In the Water They Can’t See You Cry” portray Edwards as self-centered, controlling and interested only in his own racing career.
Beard, an Olympic gold medalist in swimming, and Edwards dated in 2005-2006, a period Beard discusses in a small section of her 349-page book.
“He never asked me what I might like to do, because he only wanted to be on Carl time,” Beard wrote. “He couldn’t imagine any other kind of time.”
In other passage, Beard describes Edwards’ negative reaction when she told the driver she had tried cocaine. Edwards is at the vanguard among NASCAR drivers when it comes to physical training and conditioning.
Those assertions came as a surprise to Edwards, who discussed the issue during his Friday media availability at Texas.
“I didn’t realize she had all those problems,” Edwards said. “I would have done anything in the world to have helped her with those, and, as always — regardless of what she writes in her books and things like that — if she ever needs anything from me, I’ll be there to help her out. I don’t know what else to say about that.”
Edwards married Dr. Kate Downey in 2009. Together they have two children. Edwards said he has always considered Beard a friend.
“Somebody told me a long time ago that she was going to write a book, and I thought, ‘Good for her — that’s awesome,’ ” Edwards said. “All the correspondence we’ve ever had between 2006 and now has all been good. Like I said, I consider us friends.
“I want to be very clear. I’m not standing up here . . . I’m not going to bash her. I’m not going to say bad things about her, because I didn’t know all that stuff was going on. She’s a mother, she’s a wife (having married photographer Sacha Brown), and she’s someone that I cared about.
“Like I said, if, down the road, she ever needs something from me, she’s got it.”
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.
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