I posted a very similar post about a year ago. After a season getting ready, this is what I've learned. All this is coming from a guy that has Zero open wheel experience but racing experience.

1. Forget the 305 deal. Go 410 non-wing right off the rip. The 305 guys will tell you the same thing, just ask.
2. If you think you might win something quickly, you're not. These guys are bad ass and make it look easy. It's extremely difficult.
3. Buy everything used in the beginning. You will tear stuff up, might as well tear used stuff up.
4. ** Spend a year, yes, a whole season following one team or multiple teams. Get to know them. Start off being the guy who cleans the mud off the car for a while. Be humble and clean the mud off. Watch and learn. If you're mechanically inclined, you'll start doing other things. Air pressure, stagger, spacers, putting new tires on wheels, fuel ect.... What I found out this last year is that it is so important to learn HOW to run a team at the track. What goes where and why. There's reasons why the toolbox is where it is. Now, different teams do it different, but if I were you, and I was, go find you a USAC team you can follow around. They're the pros. You will find there's very little wasted movement in the pits. Then, find you a local team and follow them around for a while. Notice the difference. Not that one is better than the other, but one is more efficient. Go every weekend somewhere to race. Go say Hi to everyone. Most are super friendly. Fill up your cell phone with numbers. So, I would forget about driving a car for a year and spend a year learning how to race first. If after a year you still want to race, go start writing checks and using all those numbers you collected the past year. Make no mistake, owning a part time sprint car team and competing is a full time job.

Don't know if this helps, but this is my experience this past year doing exactly what I just suggested you do.