This will probably be no help at all, but back in the seventies everyone I asked said that Formula Vee was the cheapest form of racing.
What they didn't tell me was there is no cheap form of racing.
Biased I may be, but looking back on finding and buying the car, fixing all the things the previous owner lied about - including rebuilding the engine - buying new tires and something to tow with, waiting for a race school -the choices back then were SCCA and EMRA with 2 or three schools per year each - and then waiting for a race within towing distance and comparing that with where you are at now with your three day done and ready to climb into a car equal to everyone else's and spend two days racing and being coached all the way through for about 4K I would think the choice is clear.
There, not only did you get my two cents, but you may have just read the longest run-on sentence in TJ history. Do a race week-end and come back and tell us how cool it was. Best of luck to ya.