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It was almost as if Mike Spinner consumed too many cans of Monster, the energy drink that sponsors him.

Hobbled by a sore knee at last month's Dew Tour stop in Portland, Ore., Spinner, 22, spoke faster than he could walk. He interrupted conversations to say hello to anyone who walked past him.

"Hey, man, what's going on?" the BMX star would say before picking up the stream previously abandoned.

The friendliest dude in action sports, Spinner is engaging and outgoing. With features like Adam Sandler, but better looks, he is charming and, quite obviously, a fan favorite.

After missing eight months with a torn right ACL, the BMX star is back on the Dew Tour. That includes this week's stop at EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City, where he finished second in BMX park two years ago.

In Portland, Spinner finished a disappointing seventh, ahead of legend Dave Mirra, but behind stars of today, such as Daniel Dhers, Brett Banasiewicz and Mark Webb.

But watch Spinner at work. In a world in which athletes are increasingly aloof and defined by machismo and publicists, he is … happy.

Of course, he has plenty of reason to be. He won BMX park at the first Dew Tour event in Chicago, after a dreadful first run had him convinced he wouldn't qualify for the season, by pulling an eye-popping quad tail whip.

He has overcome his injury — although a few pre-Portland falls had it rather swollen and sore. He bought his first home in December, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and put a 12,000-square-foot bike park in his backyard.

But there are times — fueled by his celebrity and passion — that Spinner seems even more in his element than when he's on his bike.

People's choice

For someone who spends so much time in the air, Spinner is remarkably grounded. He is brash, there's no doubt, but it's all part of the image that makes him so popular.

When Spinner first became a professional, the first big purchase he made was a Nissan Altima for his father, Barry. The two men are a team these days. Spinner's mother, Janie, died when he was 16.

At Dew Tour, however, that all feels more than six years and 3,000 miles away.

At an autograph session at the Dew Tour's festival village, Spinner sat high on a stage while a line of mostly teens caterpillared its way through 100 yards of booths and anticipation.

"I could do it all day," Spinner said. "I would ice my hand and make it work."

A fat ice pack was taped to his knee, which kept him from engaging with fans in the manner he prefers.

"I usually stand up because I feel lazy sitting down," he said. "But with the knee, it hurts."

His autograph was skinny and spiked, like a Richter Scale peaking with penmanship. He signed it about 30 times before he gave in and, bobbing to Eminem's "Love the Way You Lie," he stood up and started signing autographs that way.

"I want to be the good guy," Spinner later said. "I've got to stand up and look like I'm interested."

An autograph session is a great sociological study. Most were content to tell Spinner he was the greatest, snap photos and be on their way, autographed poster in hand. Others have additional ideas. Sometimes Spinner is propositioned by young women. One guy challenged the BMX star to an arm-wrestling match.

Mostly, though, there is the precarious crossroads of celebrity and civilian.

One girl, maybe 16, climbed the steps toward Spinner, sporting a tight tiger-striped dress that was appropriate for a hot summer day, but not much else. She was the kind of girl who has grown accustomed to making men nervous, not the other way around.

As she posed with Spinner, however, the peace sign she held up with her left hand trembled and she could barely say, "Thank you," as she left the stage.

By the time she stumbled through her gratitude, Spinner had already turned to the next person in line, his newest best friend.

"Hey, man," he said. "What's going on?"

boram@sltrib.com On Twitter: @oramb —

Dew Tour coming to Salt Lake City

What • Action-sports competition featuring stars of skateboarding, BMX and motocross.

When • Thursday through Sunday

Where • EnergySolutions Arena and surrounding areas.

Tickets • Available at http://www.SmithsTix.com or the EnergySolutions box office; start at $15.

Athletes you may know • Skateboarder Shaun White will be there. So will longtime competitors Bucky Lasek and Bob Burnquist, as well as BMX riders Jamie Bestwick and Dave Mirra. The Salt Lake City stop is the final one before October's Dew Tour Championship in Las Vegas.

When you can see Spinner • In BMX park finals, Sunday at 5 p.m.