to beat a GM 602 crate

Well a 360 .40 over will be a stock bore 340 If I remember correctly. 360 run larger main bearings and longer stroke of coarse... anything weighing more slows it down.

By the time you build a destroked motor, need right headers, oil pan, intake etc. Why everyone runs a sbc. I always wanted to run a 340 but the cost and availability of parts.

its a balance of torque and hp.. torque gets you off the corner and hp down the straight especially short track racing.