IMHO 1 hp per inch is already past the point where it's fun to drive on the street - low speed power is weak, ignition has to be set very accurately, it's only fast when wound out.
There is a certain amount of good engineering in the maxim "increase the compression ratio when you delay the intake valve closing point to get the cranking pressure back up". The problem is that although the pressure comes back, the low speed power is still down.
