STURGIS, S.D. (AP) - The number of vendors registering for spots at this year's Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is ahead of last year's pace.
As of Friday, 101 vendors had signed up which is about 20 percent more than at the same time a year ago. The city issued a total of 725 vendor licenses last year.
The city's constituent services coordinator, Christina Steele, attributes the increase in registrations this year to a better economy and lower gas prices.
The annual motorcycle rally in western South Dakota draws hundreds of thousands of people each year. This year's rally is Aug. 6-12.
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