The Secret Race Across America | Time for Tea

New film seeks to document the definitely not secret history of transcontinental racing in the US

"This is a story about people who race from one side of America to the other as fast as they can," says Ice T - and that about covers the narrative arc of Apex: The Secret Race Across America, a feature documentary set for release later this month.

The film plots the recent history of what it calls the illegal, underground world of American transcontinental racing - although practically everyone who has ever been involved with the scene has proven remarkably adept at self-publicising their endeavours regardless of the consequences. Not least Alex Roy, who took it upon himself to break the decades old Cannonball record in 2006.

Apex explores that 31hr run at length, which ought to make for interesting viewing - not least for the intensive planning that went into its staging (much like a heist movie, it is the cop-dodging groundwork which can be relied upon to serve up all the intrigue).

Don't expect the film to go more than ankle-deep into the ethics of law-breaking for the hell of it - but do expect some hair-raising archive footage and larger-than-life characters, particularly if Apex has tracked down the participants of the seventies era 'Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash', which even managed to lure Le Mans-winner Dan Gurney into a Ferrari Daytona for the second running.

"At no time did we exceed 175mph", Gurney is said to have quipped. Those were the days.