Chris,
Until you decide how much racing you want to do, I would save the money on the shoes and the gloves. Skip Barber provides virtually everything except the two items you mentioned, but many schools actually recommend a flat bottomed tennis/skateboard/running shoe for starters. You probably already have something at home that would work fine. If you want gloves, you might try some football gloves at a Sporting Goods Store. They are usually on sale now, and have a nice tacky surface that allows wonderful grip on the wheel. After you get back you'll have plenty of time to spend your funds getting exactly what you want in a suit/gloves/helmet , etc., if you do more track time. Look into www.viperdays.com for further driving experiences when you get back.
Until you decide how much racing you want to do, I would save the money on the shoes and the gloves. Skip Barber provides virtually everything except the two items you mentioned, but many schools actually recommend a flat bottomed tennis/skateboard/running shoe for starters. You probably already have something at home that would work fine. If you want gloves, you might try some football gloves at a Sporting Goods Store. They are usually on sale now, and have a nice tacky surface that allows wonderful grip on the wheel. After you get back you'll have plenty of time to spend your funds getting exactly what you want in a suit/gloves/helmet , etc., if you do more track time. Look into www.viperdays.com for further driving experiences when you get back.