look at the graphs above in the posts. That will answer your questions.
but in summary if you hook with 3.09 from a dig hard you will jump out of the hole and be ahead of a 2.62 car. If all things work perfect a 3.09 car should win in the 1/4. However the extra shift and the 2.62 car being in lower gears longer will slowly eat up thay advantage. The longer you go(example 1 mile races) the 2.62 car can hold and pull the lower gears longer. Which will eventually put it ahead.
But straight 1/4 mile the 3.09 with slicks probably the way to go. Demon has 3.09 and with the crate pulls the front wheels. For drag the 60’ is everything. Demon and SS are drag cars not roll racing, standing mile, or road course cars. At high speeds (120+) a 2.62 car is pulling 5th gear while the 3.09 is pulling 6th. At those speeds tje 2.62 car will walk the 3.09.
2.62 has advantages other areas.
A 2.62 jailbreak would beat a demon in a standing mile(demon using pump gas). On race fuel demon probably takes the win due to the extra HP.
So chose a gear for what you want to do. No wrong answer.