We're seeing expense issues in Quarter Midget Rookie classes...RED ROOKIE QUARTER MIDGETS!
The "crate" GX120 from Honda is $500...to be competitive you need a $11-1200 built motor from a builder that's had the cam advanced, the ignition timing advanced, had a heavy flywheel fitted, the special hones run through the bores, etc. You can buy AFCO shocks for $4-500 but good shocks are $1,800 and $250 per on rebuilds. State of the art chassis? $5k. Titanium rear axle? $1,800. Fresh tires every race? $260.
We're running an older loaner car from the club that I'm rebuilding, solid car with a little older motor, shocks, etc. We've run hundreds of laps of practice dialing in the car and my son has gotten really confident but the next step is a current gen motor and better shocks.
USAC could solve a lot of this...close down the engine specs, rookie classes can only run scrub tires, limit to basic shocks...but it's racing so you do what you have to.