The Central Hockey League announced Friday that Rapid City Rushhead equipment manager Romeo Vivit has been selected to thetraining staff of the 2012 CHL All-Star Game.
Vivit becomes the third member of the Rush organization selected tobe a part of this season’s All-Star Game, joining forward JesseSchultz and defenseman Riley Weselowski.
Last season, Vivit earned the honor of being named the GunnerGarrett Equipment Manager of the Year in just his second seasonwith the Rush. This will mark Vivit’s second consecutive All-StarGame, as he also worked last season’s event, which was hosted bythe Rush.
“I’m very grateful for having the honor of being named the2010-2011 CHL Equipment Manager of the Year, therefore representingthe Rapid City Rush in the 2012 CHL All-Star Game,” Vivit said. “Itwouldn’t have been possible without the entire Rapid City Rushorganization giving me the opportunity, as well as the entire RapidCity community believing in me. I owe a lot to my parents andfamily for showing me what it means to persevere and work hard tobe successful. I also owe a great amount to the Rapid Citycommunity for the support and helping me out when times ran thin. Iwould like to thank all of my fellow equipment managers andathletic trainers for their assistance over the years.”
Vivit previously tried out for the team as a player during theirinaugural season training camp and then later worked with the teamas an assistant equipment manager.
The Park Ridge, Ill., native’s passion for playing the game liveson as the hockey director for the City of Rapid City and as avolunteer coach, skills developer and consultant for the RushmoreThunder Youth Hockey Association.
The game is scheduled for Jan. 11 in Prescott Valley, Ariz. Thegame’s format will feature the host Arizona Sundogs taking on ateam of CHL All-Stars.
Black Hills Speedway releases 2012 racingschedule
Black Hills Speedway released its 2012schedule of races, which includes 18 nights of racing at thehalf-mile oval east of Rapid City.
The slate during July’s “Month of Money” includes an AmericanSprint Car Series National Tour event on Monday, July 9, the Manuel”Mel” Torres Memorial on Friday, July 13, and the Travis McDonnellMemorial on July 20.
An April 29 spring car show, tech inspection and test-and- tune atthe track precedes the start of the racing season on Friday, May4,
Racing continues each Friday night through the summer months withthe exception of August 10, the weekend of the Knoxville Nationalsin Iowa.
The Friday, June 29 races include a Fourth-of-July fireworksdisplay. The season concludes with point championship night on Aug.31.
The lineup of classes remains unchanged from 2011, includingWissota-sanctioned street stocks, super stocks, Midwest modifiedsand late models, along with ASCS-rules 360 cubic-inch sprintcars.
Range Days Rodeo wins Best Footing Award
The Range Days Rodeo was presented with the Women’s ProfessionalRodeo Association’s (WPRA) Justin Best Footing Award for theBadlands Circuit for 2011. The presentation was made in Las Vegasduring the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
The award is voted on by the barrel race contestants in theBadlands Circuit made up of all rodeos in North and South Dakota.The award is based on the quality of ground or “footing” for thebarrel race horses. Justin Boots presents a pair of full-quillostrich boots to the winning committee along with a check for$1,000.
Range Days Rodeo works with volunteer personnel from Ellsworth Airforce Base and the South Dakota National Guard to hand rake therodeo arena around each barrel after each contestant makes a run sothat the ground is even for the every contestant. This volunteereffort has proven effective as the Range Days Rodeo has won theaward seven times since the year 2000 and the last three years in arow.
Range Days Rodeo Committee Chair Wade Vos said, “We are proud towin this prestigious award from Justin Boots and all of ourvolunteers work hard to produce the best rodeo every year.”