The Daytona 500 Experience, formerly known as Daytona USA, was an interactive motorsports attraction and museum located at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Intrinsically linked to the Daytona 500, the museum primarily focused on exhibits related to NASCAR. The attraction also included exhibits related to the Daytona 200 motorcycle race, the 24 Hours of Daytona, as well as the Daytona Beach & Road Course. The attraction opened in 1996. In 2005, the site was one of the finalists to host the NASCAR Hall of Fame. After losing the hall of fame bid, due to high operating costs and low attendance, parent company International Speedway Corporation announced on November 6, 2010 that the attraction would no longer be open to the public but would be available only for private functions. After being closed to the public for four years, it was announced in 2014 that the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America would relocate to the site. The new expanded and refurbished museum opened in February 2017. History Through 1995, Daytona International Speedway featured a modest two-story visitors’ center outside of the oval's fourth turn. The first floor of the visitors' center housed the ticket office and a small sampling of racing memorabilia; the second floor was home to a wall of photographs of previous Daytona 500 winners. The Speedway also offered track tours on open-air trams. In mid- to late-1995, the visitors center was closed and a new destination-style, interactive museum was designed to take its place. The attraction opened in July 1996 during the 1996 Pepsi 400 using the name Daytona USA. (It should not be confused with the arcade game of the same name, though the game is featured in the attraction's arcade.) The attraction was awarded the Themed Entertainment Association's Thea Award of Outstanding Achievement in September 1997. The attraction was expanded by in July 2001. The renovation added two motion simulators: an IWERKS motion simulator ride called Daytona Dream Laps and the full-motion simulator Acceleration Alley. A third simulator, Toyota Tundra's Thunder Road, was added in 2003. Daytona USA celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2006 by adding the Daytona 500 Champion's Walk of Fame to the walkway in front of the building. On July 1, 2007, Daytona USA was renamed the Daytona 500 Experience. Exhibits The attraction boasted several exhibit areas, simulators and interactive displays. Some of these remain active for private functions, however