The good thing I've seen about girdles on SBFs is that it keeps the pieces together so you can push the car off the track with minimal cleanup.

The best one I recall was a friend with a 6.80 1/8 mile car, stock block 347. Started leaking water and a bit of oil in the burnout box. Push him back, he drove it back and on to the trailer. When he pulled the motor and pulled the timing cover and pan, the right front corner of the block - with the oil pump - came off in one piece.