I would like to point out the difference between technical and "in spirit" compliance with the rules.  The majority of the rules across the good ole USA is that in a "stock" class the armature cannot be modified.  Some rules state that it cannot be trued, dewound, balanced, etc., etc.  Some state no modifications what so ever.  In the strictest sense of the rules you cannot put anything on or do anything to the armature.  As part of the HOPRA Nats teching crew, I have seen an armature with dye on it rejected.  It can viewed as a balancing aid.  "Silly" you say!  I've seen guys try to balance them with dye where dye is permitted.  But in a larger sense, as a pro you are expected to understand the spirit of the rules.  Stock classes are meant for entry level racers to compete on a level playing field with minimum investment.  Therefore NOTHING should be done to the armature!  To hedge on these rules can mean a lot of things to a seasoned veteran viewing from the outside.  Either you want to be a big fish in a little pond, blowing everyone away in the stock classes and can't do it with just your driving, tuning or setup.  Or you don't want to move up with the fast boys where you can run any arm you want!  Or as every society has you are just flat-out a cheater who just doesn't know how rules work or even what they mean.  I appreciate you wanting to figure out the RPM on your arm, but be aware that in some parts of the country as soon as you put something on those stacks or wire, that became an illegal arm.  You can argue till the sun turns blue your honorable intentions but imagine what all the others think as they tech in with their legal cars.  "Why can't this guy just follow the simple rules.?"  Believe me, the perception, the stigma of being a rules hedger or worst a cheater means that in the mind of your competitors you will never truly win a race without some suspicion behind that win.  And that's a bummer when you swear you are legal!  At the SCHOR SpringNats in California I set fastest qualifying time, won my semi and the main event in the Pro Superstock class.  What I do to speed up tuning is to build several motors in separately marked containers and try them out.  Although clinical bench testing, static (ohms, balance, etc) or dynamic (starting current, rpm, etc) can give you a good starting point it is not as good as putting the motors on the track and finding out which one is the fastest.  With a good lap timer and good objective analysis of each fast lap, you can come with a winner using the same technology available to everyone.

Greg Williams
President Arizona H.O. Racing Association.