Helping to start in rally racing?

I really love rally racing and I am definitely interested in getting involved in my local rally center. As in, driving. Now, I've heard that it's a good idea to do "arrive and drive" for your first season where a car is ready for you, as is your team. I currently only have a 96 Ford Escort LX. Is there anyway I could modify this to compete in local rallies? If that's just a silly question, let me know. There's plenty of time to buy an old Impreza or Focus in the future to modify for rally standards. Any advice helps, ahaha, and please know what you're talking about. Thanks a million!