Here's what I did
1. Ran local autocross for 6 years.
2. Ran PDX's. First year 1, then 2, then 2.
3. Bought a cheap ITC Civic this winter.
4. Took the 2 day Great Lakes SCCA school at Nelson ledges, this is all the school you need. you don't have to pay some professional school thousands of dollars to get a license.
5. Completing the 2 day school, I have a novice license, I can enter regional events
6. I finished my first regional race this weekend at mid-ohio. Didn't hit anyone, tried to get up to speed and stay out of the way.
7. One more regional race and I can apply for a full regional license. At that point I can enter any regional race.
I agree that it is a good idea to do a couple of PDX's. Road racing is quite different from autocross. there is a lot less to do, or at least a similar amount to do, but lots more time to do it. and you do it a lot more times. You might enjoy it. Or you might not. And that's just the driving part.
Contrary to what someone said above, a PDX will not give you any idea at all if you enjoy racing with other cars on track. At an SCCA PDX you will be pointing cars by or vice versa, there will be no real passing. If you want to know about that, go to a local Kart track and see if you like getting bumped around and having fast people push you out of the way like yesterday's garbage. :) That's how you are going to feel your first road race.
The key for me is that I have enjoyed each of the things I've done. I like autocrossing. I like pdx. I like driving the racecar. I like racing against other people. I really hated for the race to end yesterday because every lap was a new learning experience. But I count myself lucky. I could have spent thousands of dollars before realizing I didn't enjoy racing with other people. You might not like it. That doesn't make you a loser, but you might just not racing. I don't like playing golf against competitive aholes. So I don't do it. I like playing golf, just not against aholes. You might like driving the car on a road course, you might no like having other people trying to put you down. I don't mind it on track so far.
I do agree that you should not spend too much money until you are sure you will enjoy wheel to wheel racing. Granted, you won't know you don't like it until you are sliding backward off track sometime, but try to keep it cheap until you know. Rent if you can. Or buy something cheap and reliable. Some people want to go real fast right off the bat. 20k ITS car, etc. I'd like to go fast too, but maybe in a couple of years. I'd rather find out if this is really something I enjoy in a $3,500 civic than a 20k bmw.
Get the David Gran book. Read it, think for yourself, but he's right, you can race on whatever budget you choose.
jim
ITC Civic
WOR SCCA