Vespa fans, get ready for huge Indianapolis rally

One of the nation's largest scooter rallies is coming to Indianapolis in June, the Indy Scooter Club and the Vespa Club of America jointly announced today.

Some 600 scooterists, which is what scooter riders call themselves, are expected to converge on the city from all over the country. Some will ride. Others will trailer their scooters.

The four-day event, called Amerivespa, has been going since 1992. It has been held in such vacation destinations as San Diego and Lake Geneva, Wis. Last year it was in New Orleans.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway drew the enthusiasts to Indianapolis.

The famous speed oval, where the 500-Mile Race has been held since 1911, will be open to the scooterists for a ride-around. Jac Carolan, president of Vespa Club of America, called such a cruise "a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

All types of scooters are welcome, not just Vespas. ISC members ride all sorts of makes, including Lambretta, Honda, Kimko, Genuine and, of course, Vespa, said Renee Sweeney, an ISC representative and rider of a Honda Metropolitan.

The town of Speedway will be the group's headquarters, but there will be tours of Indianapolis.

"We are really excited to show off Indianapolis," said Chris Sublett, president of ISC and a Vespa rider. "Indy has a strong scooter culture, and we've been working really hard to plan an event that will show off the best of our city."

Besides a formal banquet and "evening hangouts," organizers are planning a "gymkhana," a sort of talent show in which scooterists show off and do tricks.

The event is June 11-14. Details are still being worked out.

Contact Star reporter Will Higgins at (317) 444-6043. Follow him on Twitter @WillRHiggins.