All good points Craig. I guess not many new members will join because of the staggering costs.
IE.
Look at the average age of 1/5th racers (40yo?)
Look at the average age of 1/8th racers (30yo?)
Look at the average age of 200mm racers (20yo?)
This is a clear indication of the costs of each class.
Anyone younger then 20yo and not on a full time job is going to struggle to pay for competitive equipment unless mummy or daddy has a big wallet for them.
When I first began racing 200mm at Moorebank in 2000(?), there were so many different faces and different chassis, however, over time, most of these guys disappeared.