1. I've taken the Racer 5 Day 1 Intro program and it is definitely beginner level. Nobody is dragging any knees at the beginning.
2. This is just my opinion, but if you have the option, space out your courses over a long period of time, and try to get some track days in between courses so you can absorb and practice what you've just learned.
I haven't taken the Racer Day 2 and 3, so I'm not sure if they're geared that way, but I did take Fast Phase 1-3, and there was a 4-year span between Phase 1 and 2, where I did 10-15 track days a season. I took Phase 2 with my buddy who was doing all three phases in one weekend, and he just couldn't absorb the Phase 2 material because he was still getting used to the racing line and being smooth on the throttle and brakes. Meanwhile, all the stuff in Phase 2 made a lot more sense to me and significantly lowered my lap times because I was able to focus on the new material and not try to remember and practice the beginner-level stuff, which would have been taught less than 24 hours ago.