the hop ups used on the baja are part of the additon cycle, it has NOTHING to do with the baja being unduralbe without them. infact if your racing a mostly stock baja is just what the doctor ordered. most tuned pipes will have the stock motor making almost too much power to be usefull on a track. so a stock can may be best on a track. or a VERY Sensitive trigger finger will be needed if you run almost any tuned pipe.
the MDC will be around 2grand to get it up and running. 1500.00 just for the roller, you still need to ad motor, servos, battery, and radio gear. you can get an SS, toss 300 into it for some Race upgrades and be out racing for aroudn 1200 out the door.
if you have a Quality radio system already bonus.
i would install Better turnbuckles, better driveshafts and Hostile Mini MX tires front and rear with a set of his new foams. the cy 26 is a decent motor. but CYs do have plating and crank bearing issues. If your serious on racing, buy a stock Zenoah 26 topend kit, and a set of Fast Eddy Crank bearings and new oil seals. its not a matter of IF the cylinder plateing will fail on you, or if the bearings will go bad, but WHEN. have them on hand so your ready to install them when you see the stock 26 going south.
some good suspension mods and maybe a full set of RPM arms and you ll have a SS that is VERY durable, Very Competitive and should be plenty durable for your bashing needs.