I have been watching this thread for a while, and I think that the equipment is not the point at all. The best explanation is an example that some of you might be familiar with if you're from Chicago.
The track that probably had the most new people I ever saw was Strictly R/c's parking lot. It was right on Lawrence Ave. and it had a guy named Kenji running it. The difference was the high visibility, and the fact that Kenji would take the time to ensure new people felt very welcome, and introduce them around. He also found some class to fit any car into for new drivers. He made it fun.
The point of this is that it's more a matter of the people running a track devoting effort to helping new people. That's why you go to a hobby shop instead of ordering from a website (one can hope). The people running the track, whether a club or owner, are the ones who have a vested interest in bringing new people in. Every one's contribution helps, but it has to fall on the organizers to set the tone.