Sure, HP/Weight, but putting that HP to work - converter & gears - matters, no ?

OP shouldn't feel too bad in any case: I have a buddy with a SB stick '57 Chevy...can't get it out of the mid 8s in the 1/8 despite spending many thousands on all kinds of stuff.
5-something rear gear, Cal-Tracs, faceplated, slicks, trick carb, spendy engine, etc etc. - though he's adamant about running a the 350-horse cam - so it sounds tame, I guess.
He's an old FC racer who knows his way around a racecar, too, so I'm baffled.
After a few years of hearing about it, I finally told him my 292-inch '57 ran 12.80s in the early '70s, with a helluva lot less $$$ & street tires