You’d be hard-pressed to find a more genuine, likeable bloke in the MX Nationals pits than MX Factory Honda’s MX2 racer Justin McDonald.

The 27-year-old builder from Christchurch has raced the past two seasons in Australia, doing the first few rounds of 2011 in the classic privateer move of running out of the back of a rental car.

After racing part of the US motocross season in 2009 and winning his first senior New Zealand Motocross Championship in 2010 – the Pro Open class against the likes of Daryl Hurley and Cody Cooper – McDonald set his sights on conquering the Australian scene.

However, with every race team roster well and truly full by the time the season started, Justin and his wrenching brother Cayle worked from the back of a rental car. Cody Mackie organised for Justin to use the frame of his Axis Motorsports Honda practice bike with the engine and rear shock the Kiwis had brought over in their gear-bag.

Despite the slipshod set-up, Justin quickly proved he had the pace to run with the MX2 high-rollers and posted top five-to-10 results at each race, then set an exclamation point by winning a moto at Raymond Terrace.

“That was definitely the highlight of my time in Australia so far,” he reflects. “To do that while working out of the back of a car was pretty satisfying. I kind of thought I’d be able to replicate more of that this year, but it didn’t really worked out that way.”

McDonald signed with the MX Factory Honda team this year when the Andrew Hopson’s Axis Motorsports team turned green, largely due to Justin’s relationship with his long-time sponsor Timaru Honda, who continued supporting him in Australia with cams, valves and valve springs.

Still, McDonald struggled with mixed results this year. He finished the season in 10th overall, but several dismal motos throughout the season put paid to any hope of a top five finish.

“This has been a really hard season for me,” he admits openly. “I’ve really enjoyed racing here, it’s cool, it’s intense, it’s everything I love about racing, but I’ve got so much weight on my shoulders with running my building business in Christchurch and making sure all the staff get paid, that it’s hard to put in the dedication required.

“This year I’ve had team backing, which was a big help, but at the same time Hoppo and Wardy assisted me a lot in 2011, and without being rude, I could kind of rely on Cody Mackie to help get me from A to B.

“That helped cut our costs down a lot, but this year we’ve been forced to spend a lot more money on flights, accommodation, fuel, food, hire cars… the list goes on. Next year I’ll play it by ear, but at the end of the day, if it’s going to strip me of as much money as it did this year, it’s simply not worth it.

If I had a normal paying job I’d be bankrupt right now, I’ve spent more than one person’s wages just to race in Australia for 10 weekends,” he chuckles while shaking his head. “It doesn’t make me all that happy when I look back and realise I’m blowing everything I earn. It kinda sucks, actually!”

While Justin is more than keen to return to Australia next year, he’s beginning to think he’ll race select rounds, spend more time training, and working at making racing fun again.

“I love racing through-and-through, and that enjoyment is what brings me back every single time,” he explains. “But I’ve got to be sensible about it too. I ride so much better when I’m happy, work is going good and everything is balanced.

“It will also be easier on Cayle, who comes to every round and spanners for me off his own bat, which is a big ask with a wee one on the way. Next year is going to be about finding that balance between work, happiness, training and racing again. I’m looking forward to it.”