The rookie pass allows the staff to keep a close eye on you, your car, and your ability to operate in a safe manner.
If you haven't been to El Mirage, come out and take the rookie orientation and course walk, you will learn something. Read the El Mirage procedures. Listen to the driver's meeting. You don't need the car for that.
Your rookie pass should wait for the race car. Each speed step in the process gets you your license, and that can't be done without the race car.
If your econobox met all of the safety rules in the SCTA rule book you could run for time only, but I think that is a lot of work for not much gain.