Preparation code

<section>
<div><div><div><div><div id="end" class="end"><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>
<article>
<p>
<span id="start" class="start"></span>
</p>
</article>
</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
</section>
<script src="//ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.7.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
 
<script>
  Benchmark.prototype.setup = function() {
    function $2( selector ) {
    
        switch( selector[0] ) {
    
            case '#':
    
                return document.getElementById( selector.substring( 1 ) );
    
            case '.':
    
                return document.getElementsByClassName( selector.substring( 1 ) );
    
            case '<':
    
                var div = document.createElement( 'div' );
                div.innerHTML = selector;
                return div.childNodes.length == 1 ? div.childNodes[0] : div.childNodes ;
    
            default: //tags
    
                return document.getElementsByTagName( selector.substring( 1 ) );
    
        };
    
    };
    
  };
</script>

Preparation code output

Test runner

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var element = $( '#start' );
element = $( '#not-found' );
element = $( '.start' );
element = $( '.not-found' );
element = $( 'span' );
element = $( 'aside' ); //not found
element = $( '<div><span>hello</span></div>' );
 

var element = $2( '#start' );
element = $2( '#not-found' );
element = $2( '.start' );
element = $2( '.not-found' );
element = $2( 'span' );
element = $2( 'aside' ); //not found
element = $2( '<div><span>hello</span></div>' );
 

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