Some Thoughts On Slant Geometry

Mark's Lancer is one I have been looking at for a while, even though we are doing completely different things.
Much of what he is doing proves out my theory. Alcohol, at 2.2 times the volume of gasoline provides a very long duration burn.
The 30% nitro is within the outer limits of what can be run through an alky system, and is enough to extend the duration another couple of degrees.
Think of it this way...and only using round numbers to illustrate the idea.
Gasoline alone will work the piston at maximum pressure from TDC to 25 ATDC
At that point, the piston starts to run away from the diminishing pressure pulse.
Alcohol will extend the duration to 30 ATDC.
30% nitro, because it is acting as a retarding agent for the alcohol will extend that another 5 degrees.
In his example, all of this is happening up in the 6-7000 rpm range. With the long rod, the piston "thinks" the engine is spinning at half that speed.
So, at a total of (again, just round number example) 35 degrees effective pressure pulse per total volume of fuel in the chamber, if one was to shorten the rod, piston speed would increase, but total time for the event would decrease. The duration of burn would be more effective for more degrees of crankshaft rotation. That equals torque.
That long rod, 4.125 stroke combination would be a complete monster on 80-100% nitro. The resistance of that stand up rod geometry would provide the load nitro needs for efficient light off, and with the volume of fuel it could use at the higher percentages, duration of burn would be way past where the exhaust valve opens.