Based on the 217kt number in the report, it appears that Van's did flight test the RV-7A to approximately Vd. I wonder which rudder (-8 or -9/-7) was installed during the flight test.
The report said it was done on the 7A Prototype, so it would be the earliest rudder version shipped with the 7/7A kits. I don't have personal knowledge of that, do you know which rudder was on the early kits?