The test is interesting, but I have my own opinions of course. Number one, why would anybody in their right mind run a Hemi at 9 to 1 compression? It makes absolutely no sense unless you live in a third world country where you can only get some kind of junk fuel. Number two, why would you try and run identical cam profiles on two engines with such radically different cylinder head configurations. Putting a dump truck cam like that in a Hemi is like requiring an Olympic runner to breathe through a straw.

I think a better test would be put together a couple of bone stock engines, blueprinted to the original published specifications. No porting, no trick valve job, no fancy valves, stock pistons, rods, cranks, everything. Just put in some good rod bolts for insurance. Blueprint the assembly process to make sure that manifolds and carburetors and everything fits properly, blueprint and tune the carburetors and distributors, to make sure that each engine is in optimized stock configuration. Then dyno test them that way and and see what you get. Then add camshaft with matching springs and headers. Rather than try to equalize, put in the optimum cam and header for that particular engine. Then test them again and see what you get. Then pick another modification, like intake manifold and carburetors. Again, don't equalize, optimize for the combination. Then you get an idea of what the stock long block is capable of for each motor. Then if you want to take it further add compression and head porting. But don't equalize compression, pick an octane and optimize compression for each engine to run on that octane.
Then I think we'd have some testing and a comparison that is actually really meaningful. Of course I realized that this is a TV show, and they had to pretty much run stuff that they had sitting around. They had no incentive whatsoever to do a test such as I suggest. Just the fact that they are doing the comparison will bring in enough viewers to satisfy the producer.

Everybody's speculation that the Hemi is slower on the first half of the track and faster on the top end of the track in my opinion has nothing to do with the power band / torque curve of the engine. That entire fallacy assumes there is no transmission and that you are making a drag strip run like a dino pull in high gear. Everybody seems to forget that the engine will hit red line three or four times by the 8th mile.
I think it has more to do with gearing and traction on street tires. Obviously, in all iron Hemi is very heavy. Getting one off the line on street tires can be a challenge. And most street Hemi cars aren't geared deep enough. If everything is optimized, including gearing, traction, and removing driver error, the car with the better power to weight ratio will always win in a drag race.

The third thing is that a Hemi needs constant tuning. That is a total crock. It takes No more effort to keep a Hemi in tune than any other car with dual points, solid cam and two carburetors. It's no big deal whatsoever and once it is dialed in, the need to change or adjust anything is very seldom.


Edit: top side it looks like you and me were thinking the same thing and type in the same thing at the same time!