No joke . I mean hot rods hold up fine on 130+ hp alky motors, ,, but apparently someone thinks it's not good enough for them. Operator error and/or lack of proper maintenance is responsible for most failures.
Milled head won't put you ahead of any quick raptors.
Call Redline racing,get porting and supporting mods. Get help with proper chassis and tire setup.
I know right? Maybe his stator is bad, but just because it had a little rust and moisture in it,doesn't mean that's his problem. Imo, always check the simple and cheap stuff 1st.
Trying to help you fix the problem you mentioned in the beginning, and possibly save you some money. Check the plug boots. Use ohm meter. Report findings.