Whether it is called a "dead spot" or simply the fact that heat rises - convection and IR along the metal of the chamber, the top of the basket will always cook faster than the bottom. As Tommy says, you can use the "Tommy Ring" to raise the basket. Or, you can use half racks or hanging baskets to raise the food. I use 3 sets of half racks - at the top of the basket, a ring or two down (just enough to clear the wings) and the final set another ring or two down. I load them in reverse order - the lowest first, then middle, then top. I can easily get 30 or more wings in this set up and they all come out at about the same time. In my SRG with the mesh lid from a TBE, this is typically 45 minutes to an hour. You could also use the SRG lid. I like the mesh lid - lets me take a quick look at progress and enjoy the aroma of the cooking wings.