there was alot of discussion about break in here recently. early in the year we started using break in stands (because we started carrying them)after of years of figuring it could not make any difference.(for years I could not justify the cost of serpents model) boy was I wrong. every engine we have used the break in stand on has been nothing of a rediculous missle and outlasts all our previous race motors by a large margin. The biggest thing we noticed was when it comes off the stand it is super smooth and free feeling. it also keeps the rod from getting beat to death while the piston and sleeve are getting broke in. I also started using a tired mule engine to break in the piston and sleeve and then installing it into the race motor giving 2 more tanks of break in. no sence wearing out the crank and rod breaking in the piston and sleeve. (life improved on the 12's from 6 to 10 gallons for us, I think our record is about 12)
If you haven't tried a stand its definatly worth it. we buzz a quart to a half gallon through them on the stand before they go in the cars.