Detonation

[416racer]

How can you tell if your engine is detonating? Can you actually hear it or feel it? Is it possible that detonation can blow a head gasket?
Im thinking out loud here and would like some feedback.I have a 426 with 11-1 piston and a stage 1 Hotcam. I rebuilt the engine about a year ago and all's well untill today. I went up a big hill climb and right when I got to the top it sounded like my head pipe cracked. I checked it out and realized that it was leaking air from the head gasket.
Ive ran race fuel/pump gas mix since the rebuild but today I thought Id try to run straight pump gas (91) and this happened.

[rubbersdown]

You will be able to tell it its detonating by the look of the piston and the plug. Piston will look pitted on top, like its been pelted by a bunch of ball bearings and the spark plug tip CAN but not always look as if the tip has melted and there may be greyish flecks melted into the electrode. You can hear it too, sounds kind of like a high pitched metal ting sort of sound, sort of similar to a 2 stroke "ting.' Detonation will 100% cause a blown head gasket. Id even dare say its the leading cause of blown head gaskets.

[416racer]

I realize a head stud might have pulled loose. How can i check that? can I try to tighten the head to the proper specs and see if they hold or do I need to check the stud height like during instalation