Calculation and formulas make you think but most of the time some trial and error in LSR seems to rule. Observation of what works is also a plus. NHRA Pro-Stocks have 5 stage pumps AND a vacuum pump and the engine lives @ 10K + rpm even tho it is only for a short time.
I have run a vacuum pump on my inline 6's for 15+ years (maybe the first one) and until I redesiged the pan I saw minimal but still positive results. A ledendary pan builder (retired) helped me by showing what worked at the RPM I was running. That it one of the keys to all calculations. I would never run without a pump and a way to monitor it. Some engines can only flow so much air especially NA on gas at Bonneville and this must be considered also.....good luck