If I raced 3-5 times a year or drove it on the street I wouldn't think twice about building a low 9 second stock block engine. My last stock block engine made 275 passes (8.60's@2500 pounds) before I found a crack when I took it apart a few Winters ago. Some guys want to wind the piss out of them, crank up the compression, push the timing, and CHEAP-OUT on fuel.