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.