The better your brakes are, the faster you can go which applies to road as well as the track. Personally I always saw the brake dust as a necessity if I wanted the very best in braking (which I did), and having to spend another 5 mins when washing the car was more than worth it. I genuinely don't know why people get so hung up on brake dust
That said, cost is very much an issue with the full PF setup, and whilst I would always go for best when it comes to stopping you in truth there's nothing wrong with a set of Yellowstuff pads on any disc really. I just look at it that if you're spending that much money (and discs aren't cheap), then why not spend a little bit more and be seriously impressed with your new brakes, rather than just mildly?