From an entirely academic point of view, rules and costs are only weakly linked.

The ONLY thing that really controls what racing costs is what the most enthuiastic entrant is willing to spend. THAT is influenced by a lot of factors but most of them sort of fall under the heading of "competetive pressure."

A racer will spend what he/she wants to in order to achieve personal competitive goals, considering budget (liquid assets and credit) and other lesser factors like ego. (For example, I refuse to drive or rent out a car that looks like crap so I spend money on real bodywork and paint.) More restrictive - or more open - rules won't change what I want to accomplish, UNLESS it changes my competitive interests or those of the racers around me. Otherwise costs won't change

Similarly, it stands on wobbly logical legs to suggest that "National status" will automagically make it more expensive for any given driver (including one's self), without qualifying the assertion with context about competitiveness.

We have got to set free the idea that we can legislate costs or that spending is DIRECTLY linked to policy decisions. Or at least qualify each of our positions to be clear what it is we think is going to happen.

K