A spindle motor for use in a disk drive having a rotatable head stack assembly. The spindle motor has a spindle motor hub. The spindle motor further has a magnet radially attached about the spindle motor hub. The spindle motor further has a spindle motor stator. The spindle motor has a stator rim. The spindle motor stator further has a plurality of stator teeth arrayed about and internally extending from the stator rim. The stator teeth are sized to fit about the magnet in operable communication therewith for rotating the spindle motor hub. The stator teeth have laminate layers. The stator teeth have a least one reduced height stator tooth having fewer laminate layers than a remainder of the stator teeth. The reduced height stator tooth is positionable adjacent the head stack assembly for allowing the head stack assembly to pivot over the reduced height stator tooth.