Want to do a tri but cannot ride an upright bike

Howdy all.  I am interested in entering a triathlon in the spring of 2010.  There's a local sprint tri I have in mind, followed by a longer one organized by the same group a few weeks later.  However, I have a glaring problem...I can't ride a regular upright bike for any length of time.  Carpal tunnel (actual diagnosis by a hand surgeon and a neurologist) in my right arm leads to crippling pain when spending more than a 1/2 hour on a road or hybrid bike.  The last time I rode a road bike was a 15 mile ride that left me in pain for 2 weeks. Clearly, this leads to some problems with both training and racing.  I've perused the USAT rules and it seems pretty clear that I wouldn't qualify under the "physically challenged" rules since my arm is mostly fine (I'm typing this, right?) until it bears weight for a while. 

So here's the question - what are the chances a race director would allow me to ride my recumbent bike.  The bike is 30 lbs of comfort, I do not use any fairings, and the seating position is about as aero as a road bike on the hoods.  How far would a polite inquiry letter and medical documentation get me?  Is this a fool's errand, or is there a general attitude towards accomodation in the triathlon world?  Are all races under USAT rules?  Thanks!