Find the local hammer ride and try it. That's where you will find the local racers. Don't worry if you get dropped. Keep coming back. (There is a sticky about this for those "new to racing". It is required reading.) Get to know the local racers. Ask to join the team with the guys that you like if they don't ask you first. The very last thing on your mind should be what the team deal is.
Some teams are very welcoming to folks wanting to go on their team rides. My team does this. We don't drop visitors in the middle of nowhere and at least one person will help a rider in over their head get back to town if that is needed. And we also give advice and encouragement.
(Now going off on a tangent, but (a) I'm old so I have license to do so and (b) I know trig so tangents are within my domain of knowledge.)
Once you are on the team, though, you might find yourself all alone 40 miles from home if you are on our team ride. We call the Sunday team ride the shenanigans ride for a good reason. Usually it is well timed attacks (like when everybody is stopping to get water and somebody sneaks off to try and solo to the next sprint). Sometimes the shenanigans are psychological. Two team rides ago we got a new version of "false flat" from a Cat 1. He was out for an endurance ride that particular day and one of the newly minted Cat 4's was feeling frisky and animating the ride. So he just announced that he had a flat and the ride ground to a halt. BRILLIANT!