Oh - something else to consider Cadre - Autocross is usually $25 - $50 per event and requires no special gear (other then a helmet, and MC helmets work for autocross). Just run what ya brung!
There was everything from 150k porsches to 1k Sentra's... As long as your there for fun and to improve yourself, it doesn't matter what your car is.
Look for a novice day with your local clubs... they are a blast...