->  JB> my cd-rom drive is labeled 44x max which means on the end track gives
->  JB> a 44x data rate but at the start the data rate is lower.

->         Methink that the 44x is a rate of data transfer, thus, the RPM
->         would increase toward the enter or vice-versa, decrease toward
->         the edge. It has to cover the same "area" on a constant.

Most Drives list theri "Data Transfer speeds as the Maximum possable.
And Nero comes with a neat utility that does a transfer speed test,
along with a lot of other information about the Drive capabilities you
may find interesting, and gives you tha Actual Maximum and Minimum
figures.
--- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v3.0pr5