depends on your definaition of fast. And what configuration the trannies are in.

just because its a manual doesnt mean its hard to drive. Some dont even use a clutch.

If you are rowing the gears and running 10.50s or lower than your in a very small catagory. Running 9.99 or faster and you are in VERY elite catagory. 8.99 or better...I bet you could count the people doing that with a full clutch setup on one hand...maybe two.

I think the difficulty factor of a fast (10.5 or less ) manually shifted full clutch car is atleast 10 times more difficult than an auto car.

Unfortunately its genrally about that same factor of 10 times more unreliable and costly. So i certainly dont blame people for going auto if they want to go fast reliably. There is a certain amount of skill involved in a large stall T braked manually shifted auto as well.

I have owned a 9 second capable manual (of course it only ET'ed 10.0 ) and then converted it to a low 10 second auto.

I loved the challange of the manual. But I hated the $2500-$3500 in clutches a year.

I do give a VERY fast manual a bit more props. However...a loss is still a loss when it comes down to a race. And that extra respect will do nothing to get you the win light.

 

Exactly. Hell, my steering wheel doesn't even work. When I want to change directions I have to put it in neutral, get out, and push the front of the car in the direction I want it to go.

 

haha.. i <3 your sig

 

I thought it was because the general population is old and don't want a manual transmission, and that technology is getting better and its now cheaper and easier to make an manumatic/tiptronic than it was 10 years ago.

I like road racing more than other forms of autosports so im down for manual, H-pattern sequential or digital.

If I were to drag race I would always chose an automatic because of the reasons already stated in the thread

I dont think an auto anything could keep up with a manual (same cars racing) threw the twisties, if it was tiptronic maybe for awhile but I would think longevity would become a factor for it. Unless its a ferrari F430 with the F1 trans or some similar exotic.

 

On another note, would a Sequential be that much slower than an auto in a dragrace?

 

as far as shifting at the EXACT optimum spot, i would assume so

 

i seen alot about turns and corners how a manual would rule,but wouldnt that be up to the driver?Manual would provide more room for error by the driver.If i remember my history channel memory auto's were used in track racing beacuse manuals were not reliable.

 

^ Yes. An automatic with a manual valve body and a rachet shifter would allow instant, consistent, reliable shifts up or down one gear without a problem.

 

^ so does a sequential, only problem is they are stupidly expensive

 

I like stick only because I can downshift and hold my rpm's in the proper gear during a corner, a 6spd vette is a lot faster than a auto in a circuit/autoX but the same(stock or with litle mods) or slower in a drag race! Why do you guys think chevy only makes sticks Z06's?? they are made for corners!