CSG says a set of pads should last 4x track days, we don't know your experience or what tracks you run and how aggressive you are, a set of xp12s could last you two seasons with you driving at your hardest, or maybe you aren't trying to set a record every lap and are content at 9.5/10 speeds and don't abuse your brakes, remember only 5x track days per year. How did the brakes fare on the Camaro? If anything the 86 should be easier on brakes, OEM vs OEM given that the 1LE doesn't have a brake upgrade to my knowledge.
The ride is firm but the oe spring rates are ~130lbs front and ~210lbs rear. The best thing to do is try it and figure it out yourself, not run out and buy what the internet tells you, nab the car, fresh pads and fluids (because odds are good you'd fry OE or any hybrid pad) and hit the track.
The whole point of you considering this was to 'keep it simple stupid', more grip means more cornering and braking force which means stiffer springs and upgraded brakes and boom, you just fell into the same hole you are trying to climb out of with the Camaro. You want the simplest most reliable track setup available: street tires in oe size, upgraded pads and fluid, oil cooler, camber bolts, alignment. There's a great thread about when a BBK breaks even with just buying oe fitment pads more frequently, it was 27 HPDES for that guy, more than you plan on attending over the next 5 years, he was ecstatic because he was tracking like 4 days per month.
On the tires I think the best way to go would be slap a set of your choice of rubber, re71r, rs3, z2, etc on the oe wheels and burn em up before taking the plunge on the 17x9. Could even save the oe rubber and slap it back on later or another set of oe 86 wheels, they typically sell for ~$400 a set or less. It doesn't hurt to try.
For the dampers I say burn up the OE, go with Bilstein or Koni replacements which should be able to take the abuse a bit better and are rebuildable, maybe at that point you might consider a lowering spring, especially if you decide to go with the 9" wheels and 245 tires, I'm not convinced the R&T article speed difference was all gearing, the sentiment that 245 slower than 225 on most tracks has been echoed elsewhere on the forum. And all the autocross guys are running 245 and not stepping up to 255 or 265 because it's simply too much tire on even a tight autocross course where top speed is almost always sacrificed for corner grip.
Keep it simple. No track car will be maintenance free, aside from a Miata or driving like a granny out there, the 86 is one of the best.
Oh by the way, oil changes take at least 5 quarts (a full fill according to the manual is 5.7 qts iirc), so using quality oil puts you near $10/quart, plus filter, odds are you're looking at a $50-$70 oil change. Don't know if you're a 'change before and after every event' kind of guy or a 'just follow the manual' kind of guy, but worth mentioning considering we're talking about the cost of consumables.
Edit: BBK cost benefit review
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=94608