I would agree with what doorracer eluded too. Start off with a mild set up and progress after you get some seat time. I believe most tracks offer a street car class ( I use the turm loosly) so you can start with a decent small block and stock suspension. This way you get your feet wet and can go bigger and better as your skills do. Would hate to see ya spend a ton of money and go out on your first run and at minimum wreck the car and at wosrt loose your life. Mark (mopar 1968) helped me get the ideas of gradour out of my head because all I have is some dirt circle track stuff, the only "drag racing I had done was some not so leagal street stuff everybody where i used to live did due to no track close. So when I'm ready to put a car together I will go with ( compared to what most of the guys here run) a mild small blick and some upgraded suspension parts and go from there. and who knows i may never go much beyond that.