[NOT A TA]

Predictability, reliability, ease of maintenance, resale, insurance, safety, performance, and instant gratification can all be had with a modern track car. Whether it be a Corvette, Porsche, BMW, Lotus or whatever. With equal expenditures and equal drivers they'll run circles around most old cars without the time, effort and hassles of an old car. Thats why you don't see lots of old cars out at the tracks. Common sense says, get the new cars.

Have you considered buying someones sorted race car and trailer? For the money you mentioned you could buy something like a spec Miata or BMW, a trailer, (you said Ohio so I assume you've got a truck to pull it) and still have enough money left over to go to a competition driving school, get a race license, AND race for a while.

That said, there's a certain feeling in an old car you don't get in a new car. I run in the HPDEs and for me it's a nostalgic kind of thing. They're less refined and you're not as isolated from the environment. I can see the hood and fenders, smell the burned leaded race fuel, hear the electric fuel pump whine and the roar of open sidepipes. There's no traction control or antilock brakes to help me. I'm the traction controller and antilock brain. It's a pain crawling into the cage and squeezing into the full containment seats then strapping into 6 point harnesses and dropping the steering wheel into position. But once you flip a couple switches, remove the safety clips on the fire system pulls and start it up, there's no doubt you're in a special car. Not just a car anyone can go to the local dealer and buy. As for speed, no matter what you have there's always someone faster. I give them a point by and a wave.