tim2002gt

Ok, my whole point is this...when it comes to a 10 second or faster car. All of the advantage goes to the automatic. I don't care how fast you can shift your manual, the automatic will still outrun the stick shift cars. IMO, it takes more skill to drive a 10 second or faster automatic than it does to drive a 12 second or slower manual.

tbirdscwd

Something that people often don't talk about is that shifting is not the only place where an auto will outperform a manual car, no matter how good the guy shifting the manual is.

A toque converter has the ability to multiply the engine torque when under the flash stall speed. Meaning you can leave the line with a lot more power with an automatic vs a stick. And it does this without the shock to the drivetrain that often times breaks components on a stick car.

tbirdscwd

so because you don't have to kick the floor at the same time as shifting a gear, there is "no skill" involved with drag racing a 10 sec automatic car?

tim2002gt

Anybody that spends anytime at all at a dragstrip will agree the automatic is superior when it comes to drag racing.

tbirdscwd

The way I see this debate (mind you, I am talking about a drag car):

Auto = faster, more consistent, and less likely to break components on your car
Stick = you get to say whatever times you ran were done with a stick

Rockwell28

auto is best for the track and its not as fun on the street but its not flat out boring either. of course ppl will say it takes no skill to drive an auto car hell I dont have the most powerful car but if I tune all of my shift pressures to the max and expect to get in and just floor it and stay str8 going down the track i would feel stupid after I hit the wall or the guy beside me once it shifts. To say it takes no skill to drive an auto down the track is beyond an extreme statement and the fact that well beyond most of the drag cars are AUTO speaks for itself no matter what anyone says. Bang away!

H0SS302

Nobody is saying its NOT superior. The argument is that its LAME. Your not racing in an auto. Your just launching the cr and holding on for the ride. Driver skill pretty much goes out the window after that.

tim2002gt

So, are you saying that a liberty shifted manual is lame also? You don't use a clutch with those either.

If you don't think you have to "drive" a 10 second automatic drag car you are mistaken. It is not nearly as easy as most people would think.

H0SS302

No different than you have to drive down the road. Once you launch youve done your part as a human, all you have to do is make sure you dont hit a wall... At least with a manual you still have to shift as fast as you can, find the gear...repeatedly.

The hardest thing your gonna have to do in an auto is maybe press up on a lever..wow.

You guys are making an auto sound like its damn rocket science. There are plenty of ppl hitting 10s out there with a standard, but they must be some kind of super driver to do that..

I think it shows you truly how good of a racer you are with a manual tranny. An auto is artificial in my book. You have to do the same things with a manual+more when racing.

tim2002gt

Sure there are people running 10's with a manual, but there are 10 autos doing it for every 1 manual. It isn't impossible by any means, but it is harder to keep from breaking stuff in the manual.

I agree, in a car that runs 13 second 1/4 mile times an automatic is very basic. But in a car that repeatedly runs in the 9's, it is nowhere near as simple to get it down the track quickly and safely.

Driving a manual is not rocket science either. Some are just faster/quicker than others. It is pretty simple to drive a manual car in a straight line...put some curves and turns in there and thats where a skilled manual tranny driver will shine.