CarsRus Full Force Race Teams’s Dean Porter is using his American AMA Outdoor experience to take on the best in the Monster Energy MX Nationals, MX1 class for 2012.

Porter took out a solid 12th overall at Conondale’s round one of racing, his first race on Australian soil since spending last year in America.

Porter says his American racing experience has helped with his rut riding, which proved a vital component in laying down fast laps on the rough and rutted Conondale circuit.

“I’m pretty happy with how it went, I would have been happier with 10th but when you look at the field, there is a lot of good riders, so I’m happy,” said Porter. “The track was awesome and was good to race on, you could make some passes.

“America has helped with my rut riding; in the past when I have gone to Conondale I have been along way off the pace, I wasn’t on the pace of the tops guys but was on the pace of some of the factory guys.”

After joining the CarsRus Full Force Race Team at the last minute, Porter says he is glad to be a part of the team.

“The team was awesome,” he added. “I didn’t know what to expect because it was last minute and was the first round, but everything went great and I’m glad to be a part of it. I’m looking forward to a good year.”

Porter will be looking to climb up the ladder and break into the top ten as the MXN series heads into round two of racing at Coonabarabran, NSW, 14-15 April.