[amaist]

I think if you get a Cup car you will want to race it. Maybe not 8 races per year. I'd be happy with 2 races and the rest spend developing/DE/lapping. I don't know your situation in terms of other car. Over here a Cup would fit right in in the local club that is not expensive to join (around 6k per year for 26 weekend days or so) Plenty of track time and mostly among cars of similar or faster speed. There are a couple 944s in the race car group but you lap them every 5 or 6 laps. All other times you can dice it with other Cups, chase a race prepared Viper or get out of the way of the Stohrs every 6 laps.

On the other hand there is plenty of opportunity to have fun in a "regular" GT3 or RS over here. The same club has plenty of fast cars in the street group and local PCA chapter is GT3 central with lots of good drivers. The black run group (right below red) is the fastest group on average I have driven with anywhere.

So I would judge this on who you can run with and if you can race. You will want to race it even if it's once a year.

I don't think you need full track support for DE/lapping stuff. For the race it's essential. Yes you can survive without it but you are doing it for fun, right?