Sure you can, no problem, but maybe you want to test with a different format first. Have you tried loading your data into a File Geodatabase? This format may result in faster joins.

To split into shapefile into different featureclasses, how do you want to split them up, based on a spatial characteristics of simply taking a # number of records and writing them to a new featureclass?

For some reason, ArcMap is crashing when I try to export from the shapefile into a file geodatabase feature class. So I guess I'm going to have to stick with working from the shapefile. Also, I'd like to just split it up based on a number of records (no particular outcome other than breaking the shapefile up into smaller shapefiles (or feature classes)).

you can split by attributes here http://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=15ca63aebb4647a4b07bc94f3d051da5

Thanks Dan, I'll have a look at it!

dead link, and judging by his username he retired 😞