Dawn,
I don't know if this can be emphasized enough...I know you've touched on it several times - but sometimes I think some racers see it..yet they DON'T see it...
That is where the ROAR RULES are applied at REGIONAL and NATIONAL EVENTS, and they are used as a Guideline for CLUB/LOCAL events, but it IS encouraged for Local Clubs/Tracks to bend and shape those rules to FIT their LOCAL RACING program.
Too often I think that a lot of Clubs/Tracks feel they have to stay 100% inline with the NATIONAL RULES guidelines, and they PANIC when they don't see something 'legal' on the ROAR RULE BOOK.
I have also seen RACERS try to beat up a Local Club/Track for straying from that NATIONAL RULES guideline to better their program...(Some racers also feel LOCAL RACING HAS TO BE 100% 'by the ROAR book' for ALL events)
...if YOUR local club program has the racers to support a 13.5 Brushless Class - YOU SHOULD BE RUNNING THAT CLASS, just as if your LOCAL group wants to run a 1/18th scale LOSI SLIDER CLASS - although there are no 'sanctioned' rules setforth for those cars by ROAR (That I know of anyway) IT CAN and SHOULD BE RUN.