Alex Roy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alex Roy
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Alex Roy at the start of the 2006 Gumball 3000
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| Born | November 23, 1971 Los Angeles, California
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| Nationality | American |
| Employer | Argo AI, The Drive, NBC Sports, Noho Sound, Autonocast |
| Known for | Rally racing, transcontinental driving record, Cannonball Run, autonomous vehicles, The Moth |
| Height | 6' |
Alexander Roy (born November 23, 1971) is an American writer, podcaster, and TV host. He is also a famous rally race driver. Alex Roy is known for setting several endurance driving records. These include the US "Cannonball Run" record. He and Dave Maher broke this record in 2007. They drove across the United States in 31 hours and 4 minutes. This amazing journey was shown in the 2019 documentary APEX: The Secret Race Across America.
In 2015, Roy played an April Fools' prank. He announced he had completed the transcontinental drive in 26 hours, 28 minutes. He later said it was a joke. His goal was to show how quickly false information can spread online.
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Driving Adventures
Alex Roy became well-known in races like the Gumball 3000 and Bullrun rallies. He drove a special BMW M5, and later a Bentley Continental GT. His cars were often decorated like police cars from different countries. His team was called Team Polizei 144.
In 2003, he won the Gumball's Spirit trophy. This was for his unique car, fun costumes, and funny interviews. In 2004, he and his co-driver dressed up as characters from the movie Tron. They won the Style trophy that year.
Roy always plans very carefully for his rallies. He uses maps, GPS, and spreadsheets. This helps him avoid problems and drive safely.
The Cannonball Run Record
The "Cannonball Run" is a famous unofficial race across the U.S. from New York City to Los Angeles. An earlier unofficial record was 32 hours, 7 minutes, set in 1983. Alex Roy learned about this record and decided to try and break it.
In December 2005, Roy and his friend Jonathan Goodrich did a practice run. They finished in 34 hours and 46 minutes. In October 2006, Roy tried again with a new co-driver, David Maher. This time, they succeeded! They drove 2,794 miles in 31 hours and 4 minutes. This means they averaged about 90.1 miles per hour.
Their record-breaking drive happened over Columbus Day weekend. This helped them avoid heavy traffic. They also drove safely, avoiding dangerous moves like tailgating. They reached speeds of up to 160 miles per hour. Their journey ended at the Santa Monica Pier.
Other drivers, like Richard Rawlings, later claimed to have beaten Roy's record. However, Roy argued that the route for the Cannonball Run often changed. The main goal was simply to get from start to finish in the fastest time. The creator of the original Cannonball Run, Brock Yates, doesn't officially recognize any records. He worries about people getting hurt. Roy shares this concern for safety.
In October 2007, Alex Roy wrote a book about his racing life. It's called The Driver: My Dangerous Pursuit of Speed and Truth in the Outlaw Racing World. He shared details about his record-setting run in the book.
Roy's transcontinental record was later broken in October 2013. Ed Bolian completed the drive in 28 hours, 50 minutes, and 26 seconds.
Electric Car Records
In 2015, Alex Roy set a new record for electric cars. He drove from Los Angeles to New York City in 57 hours and 48 minutes. He was with Carl J Reese and Deena Mastracci. They used a Tesla Model S car. They also used its special "autopilot" feature for part of the trip.
In August 2016, Roy and his teammates broke the electric car record again. They drove a Tesla Model S 90D from California to New York in 55 hours. This was 2 hours and 48 minutes faster than their previous record. The Tesla's Autopilot feature was used for almost all of the journey. They used GPS and video to prove their record.
In December 2017, Roy and Dan Zorrilla broke the record once more. They drove a Tesla Model 3 across the country in 50 hours and 16 minutes. In July 2019, a family team beat Roy's record. Robin Jedi Thomsen and her parents drove a Tesla Model 3 in 48 hours and 10 minutes.
Fastest Lap Around Manhattan
On September 10, 2001, Alex Roy set a record for the fastest drive around Manhattan. He completed the lap in about 27 minutes. He wrote in his book that he reached speeds of 144 miles per hour. He drove a route that avoided the busiest parts of the city. He started at the World Trade Center, which was sadly destroyed the next day. He drove through the Battery Park Underpass, up the Franklin D. Roosevelt East River Drive, and then down the Henry Hudson Parkway. He ended back at the World Trade Center. Even though he talks about the lap in his book, the video of it has never been released.
In October 2010, a video appeared on YouTube showing someone breaking Roy's record. The drivers in the video took a similar route and finished in 26 minutes and 3 seconds.
In August 2013, Adam "Afroduck" Tang set a new unofficial record. He drove around Manhattan in 24 minutes and 7 seconds. He filmed his drive in a 2006 BMW Z4 3.0si and posted it on YouTube.
Career Beyond Driving
Alex Roy has also worked in the media and technology fields. He was part of the YouTube show Fast Lane Daily. In his segment, "Road Testament," he talked about driver safety and road rallying.
Today, Roy is an Editor-at-Large for the car website The Drive. He also started and co-hosts the Autonocast. This is a podcast that talks about the future of transportation. He also co-hosts /DRIVE on NBC Sports, a TV show about cars.
In 2018, Roy published the Human Driving Manifesto. He also launched the Human Driving Association. This group works to protect people's ability to own and control their own cars, especially with new automated vehicles.
In January 2019, Roy joined Argo.ai. This company develops self-driving cars. He became their Director of Special Operations.
Personal Life
Alex Roy supports many youth charities. He used to be the chairman for The Moth, a live storytelling series in New York City. He is currently on the board of Groupmuse. This is a platform for classical music events.
