ROAR is allowing approved 17.5 brushless and 27T brushed motors in the "stock" class. A 13.5 is way to fast for stock.. that's why ROAR changed it.

Almost every properly geared 17.5 is fast... but it's not really faster than a properly tuned 27T brushed motor... both seem to be very competitive. At our local off-road track most folks are running brushless.. but the top finishers in the stock truck and buggy class run both..

I think that brushless has really evened up the playing field. Before it was just the folks that could not only drive, but could tune and maintain their motors.

Good luck and have fun!

Jerome