Department of History

Dr. Dan Simone earned his Ph.D. from UF in 2009. He wrote his dissertation, “Racing, Region, and the Environment: A History of American Motorsports,” under the guidance of Dr. Jack Davis. While at UF, he also served as Program Coordinator of the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program.  From 2010-2015, Dr. Simone taught World History and Environmental History courses at Monmouth University. In 2016, he was hired as Curator of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina, and held that position through 2021. The following year, Dr. Simone was tabbed to assist the New-York Historical Society Museum and Library, where he co-processed the Women’s Sports Foundation Collection and collected oral histories and developed content for an upcoming digital exhibition.  Dr. Simone delivers presentations and academic papers at universities and automotive museums across the United States and Canada and serves on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Voting Committee.