The vacume reference is a simple reference line to the intake manifold for vacume pressure. As manifold pressure drops, less fuel pressure is required to squirt fuel into the manifold. For example, at wide open throttle, you have 14.7 apsi of air in the manifold, and 40psi of fuel pressure. At idle, you have ~7.7 apsi of air in the manifold. Idealy, you want the fuel pressure to reduce the fuel pressure to 33psi, or it might run a little rich. It really comes into play when you have forced induction. For 20 psig of boost, you need 60psi of fuel pressure, and a FPR without a vacume reference will leave it at 40psi.